IV. Autogenous Modernity and the Revitalization of Order in Daesoon Thought

The reason Togeuksu is important in the five elements is that the core principle of the Hado and Nakseo—the principle of turning a straight line into a cycle—becomes the Geumhwa Gyoyeok (Metal-Fire Mutual Exchange). Geumhwa Gyoyeok is the principle in the five elements where Metal and Fire exchange positions to circulate the five elements. Since Eumyang Ohaeng (Yin-Yang and the Five Elements) is based on the Hado and Nakseo, Geumhwa Gyoyeok becomes a major key to understanding the changes in the Hado and Nakseo. The Hado and Nakseo were regarded in Eastern thought as the principles of the transcendent Heaven's cosmic creation and change, becoming the principle, or I (理), that explains all things in the universe. In fact, in the East, a place where books explaining the principles of the universe are collected is still called a 'library' (圖書館, Doseogwan), borrowing the characters Do (圖) from Hado and Seo (書) from Nakseo. In the Hado, which is based on mutual generation (Sangsaeng), the five elements circulate in a generative relationship according to the principle of Wood→Fire→Earth→Metal→Water, while in the Nakseo, which is based on mutual conflict (Sangguk), the five elements circulate in a conflict relationship according to the principle of Water→Fire→Metal→Wood→Earth. When the mutual generation of the Hado and the mutual conflict of the Nakseo meet, all things in the universe change like warp and weft.23)

The reasons Geumhwa Gyoyeok and Togeuksu emerge as central in the changes of Eumyang Ohaeng are, first, the transition between the Hado and Nakseo, and second, the circulation aspect of the Nakseo. First, looking at the transition between the Hado and Nakseo, the difference between them is that Metal and Fire exchange places. That is, when Metal and Fire exchange places, they undergo Geumhwa Gyoyeok, turning generation into conflict and conflict into generation; therefore, Geumhwa Gyoyeok becomes the core principle in Eumyang Ohaeng. In other words, Geumhwa Gyoyeok is the exchange (Gyoyeok) of Fire (which was in the west in the Nakseo) and Metal (which was in the south in the Nakseo) to move the Metal (which was in the south) to the west, as it is in the Hado. In the Nakseo, which unfolds counter-clockwise as Water overcomes Fire → Fire overcomes Metal → Metal overcomes Wood → Wood overcomes Earth → Earth overcomes Water, if the positions of Metal and Fire are switched, it unfolds in the order of generation: Metal generates Water → Water generates Wood → Wood generates Fire → Fire generates Earth → Earth generates Metal.

He said, "Those who study say the directions have changed, but how would they know that I have turned the Heavens and Earth around?"24)

In the example above, the expression "how would they know that I have turned the Heavens and Earth around" means changing the operation of the universe by changing the order of the 8 trigrams, similar to Geumhwa Gyoyeok. In the world of the I Ching (Classic of Changes), the Heaven above Heaven cultivates all things through Heaven and Earth, and Heaven and Earth are composed of 8 gates, namely the Palmun (八門) of Geon-Gam-Gan-Jin-Son-I-Gon-Tae (乾坎艮震巽離坤兌), and by changing the directions of the 8 gates, Heaven and Earth operate according to the Hado and Nakseo principles of Saengjang-Yeomjang (growth and storage) and Wonhyeong-Ijeong (spring, summer, autumn, winter). The expression that the directions of Heaven and Earth are composed of 8 gates appears specifically in the following passage:

One day, Sangje wrote, "Heaven and Earth's Great Eight Gates (天地大八門), Sun and Moon's Great Command (日月大御命), Birds and Beasts' Great Dao Arts (禽獸大道術), Humanity's Great Accumulation of Good (人間大積善), O Time, O Time, the World of Spirits (時乎時乎鬼神世界)," and gave it to Gong-u, who was living with Shin Gyeong-su at his house, instructing him to paste it on the wall of Gyeong-su's house, and said, "I am designating Gyeong-su's house as the repository of life (Sumyeongso), so when dealing with all people, take only their strengths, and even if you see shortcomings, forgive them well and do not hate them." At this time, he also said to Hyeong-ryeol, "The Beop (Law) originates from Seoul (Gyeong) and spreads to all nations, so I must use the energy of those whose names contain the character Gyeong (京)." "Therefore, I am designating Gyeong-su's (京洙) house as the repository of life (Sumyeongso), Gyeong-hak's (京學) house as the great university (Daehakgyo), and Gyeong-won's (京元) house as the repository of blessings (Bongnokso)."25)

In the example above, "Heaven and Earth's Great Eight Gates (天地大八門), Sun and Moon's Great Command (日月大御命), Birds and Beasts' Great Dao Arts (禽獸大道術), Humanity's Great Accumulation of Good (人間大積善)" signifies that time, represented by the sun and moon, has appeared in the Eight Gates of Heaven and Earth, which are represented by "Geon-Gon-Gam-Ri-Son-I-Gon-Tae." This shows that Gocheon's (the Ninth Heaven's) intention is inherent in the cultivation (Hwayuk) of Heaven and Earth through humanity's great accumulation of good, which is universally connected to the great Dao arts of birds and beasts. Wonhyeong-Ijeong and Saengjam-Yeomjang are ultimately derived from the sequential changes of these 8 gates, just like the Hado and Nakseo.

The standard for Geumhwa Gyoyeok (Metal-Fire Mutual Exchange) is Togeuksu (Earth overcoming Water). The reason Togeuksu is crucial for Geumhwa Gyoyeok is that the sequence of mutual conflict in the Nakseo—Water overcomes Fire → Fire overcomes Metal → Metal overcomes Wood → Wood overcomes Earth → Earth overcomes Water—occurs because of Togeuksu. In Eumyang Ohaeng, Earth is the only entity that possesses both Yin and Yang. Also, among Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water, which possess only one (Yin or Yang), the strongest in the Nakseo sequence is Water, and the weakest is Wood. Therefore, for the five elements to circulate in conflict, Earth, the entity possessing both Yin and Yang, must overcome the strongest entity, Water, and in turn be overcome by the weakest entity, Wood, thereby allowing the five elements to circulate in conflict. This applies equally to the Hado's generative relationship; to circulate from Fire to Metal, which are in mutual conflict, the mediation of Earth is required in the middle.

Ultimately, Earth occupies one position among Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water in the five elements, yet it is a separate entity distinct from Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water. It is as if the transcendent Heaven, the Heaven above Heaven, re-intervenes in the Heaven that was separated into Heaven and Earth, mingling with the elements within Heaven and Earth to appear as the immanent Heaven. The Earth of Eumyang Ohaeng ultimately reveals the characteristics of Heaven's transcendent Heaven and immanent Heaven. The dual nature of Earth aligns very well with the encompassing transcendence (Powoelseong) of liminality. Eastern thought recognized this early on, identifying Togeuksu as the core of Eumyang Ohaeng.

五行之義土克水也26)

Daesoon thought, by mentioning "Togeuksu" in the expression that Gocheon is Maitreya, shows its distinctiveness in reactivating the existence of "Earth." In fact, Daesoon Jinrihoe's prayer times (Sudo) are held during the Earth hours of Jin, Sul, Chuk, and Mi. The image of Gocheon as the existence of "Earth" appears in Daesoon thought as the expression "Gocheon Daewon Johwajusin" (The Great Primal Deity of the Ninth Heaven who Orchestrates Transformation).

The Holy Teacher Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山), possessor of supreme wisdom (智慧), boundless virtuous influence (德化), and great power (權能), and a great historical religious founder (大宗敎家), as Gocheon Daewon Johwajusin (九天大元造化主神), presided over the Three Realms (Sambaek) with great authority, made a great circuit (Daesoon) of the world (天下), and descended (Daegang) into the human world (人世) to rectify the Tiendidosu (天地度數, Heavenly and Earthly Degrees) which had lost their normal path (常道), open the path of the boundless Seongyeong (仙境, Immortal Realm) of the Later World (後天), build an earthly paradise (地上天國), and save the Sinmyeong (神明, Divine Beings) trapped in Bigeop (否劫, Adversity) and the world's people (世界蒼生) fallen into Jaegeop (災劫, Calamity). He traveled (巡回周遊) and performed the Great Works (大公事). Through the truth (眞理) of the Great Dao (大道)—Eumyang Hapdeok (陰陽合德, Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang), Sinin Johwa (神人調化, Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings), and Haewon Sangsaeng (解寃相生, Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence)—and by the principle (理法) of Sinin Uido (神人依導, Mutual Guidance of Divine Beings and Human Beings), He centered on Haewon (解寃, Resolution of Grievances) and concluded the Tiendigonssa (天地公事, Heavenly and Earthly Works) with Boeun (報恩, Grateful Reciprocation of Favors). Through the principles (道理) of Haewon and Boeun, all the grievances (寃鬱) accumulated throughout history (萬古) will be resolved, and the world (世界) will become a paradise of Dao transformation (道化樂園) without mutual conflict (相克). This is the truth (眞理) of the Great Circuit (大巡).27)

The example above shows that Daesoon thought expresses Gocheon as Gocheon Daewon Johwajusin (九天大元造化主神). Daesoon thought shows how the Three Realms were cultivated (Hwayuk) through virtue (Dodeok) according to the principle of "Earth overcoming Water."

曰有道, 道有德, 德有化, 化有育, 育有蒼生, 蒼生有億兆, 億兆有願戴, 願戴有唐堯28)

The example above shows in more detail the process merely expressed as 'Tiendi Hwayuk' (Heavenly and Earthly Nurturing) in the I Ching. Daesoon thought, showing the substantive Gocheon, demonstrates that Dao and De originate from Gocheon and cultivate billions of living beings (Eokjo Changsaeng) by the principle of Cheondo Jideok (Heaven's Dao and Earth's Virtue), and that the final goal of this cultivation (Hwayuk) is the success of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity following Sangje's incarnation, namely the emergence of the Ji-in (知人, Wise Person), like Emperor Yao, who knows the grace of Heaven and Earth and knows how to repay it.29)

Daesoon thought points out that due to the dual nature of "Earth," the attribute-oriented Eastern view of Heaven forgot the existence of Gocheon, and this is the main problem of the Eastern view of Heaven. The forgetting of Gocheon appears, first, in Matteo Ricci's attempt at an earthly paradise failing due to the corrupt customs of Confucianism; second, the forgetting of Gocheon deepens into a "world plagued by illness" (天下皆病) through the loss of loyalty, filial piety, and chastity (Chunghyoyeol), forgetting the transcendent Heaven and the Seonggyeongsin (Sincerity, Reverence, Faith) of Heaven and Earth; and third, it manifests to the stage of Baecheonji (背天地, betraying Heaven and Earth) through East-West exchange.30)

One day, Sangje said to Kim Hyeong-ryeol, "The Westerner Matteo Ricci (Yi Madu) came to the East and tried to establish an earthly paradise, but he could not achieve his goal because the deeply rooted corrupt customs of Confucianism could not be easily reformed."31)

世無忠世無孝世無烈是故天下皆病32)

誓者元天地之約有其誓背天地之約則雖元物其物難成33)

The examples above appear in the passage explaining the outline of the Heavenly and Earthly Works while first mentioning Matteo Ricci, in the "Byeongsemun" (Proclamation on the State of Illness) left after his Hwacheon (ascension), and in the core passages contained in the "Hyeonmugyeong" (Scripture of the Black Warrior). This shows that the background of Daesoon thought's emergence lies in the East and West's forgetting of Gocheon.

Reactivation of the Western View of Heaven (天觀) in the Incarnational (人身降世) View of the Heavenly Realm (天界觀)

The most prominent difference of Daesoon thought's view of Heaven—which integrated the substantive view of Heaven into the substantive transcendent Heaven (Cheonoicheon) view of the West and the attributive Heaven view of the East—compared to other views of Heaven, is that the attributive principle of Eumyang Ohaeng is added to Gocheon. First, that difference is revealed in the divine title of Daesoon thought's transcendent Heaven, namely "Gocheon Eungwon Noeseong Bohwa Cheonjon Gangseong Sangje" (Sangje of the Ninth Heaven, Who Responds to All Appeals with Thunder, Transforms All Beings, is the Honored One of Heaven, and Surnamed Kang). Whereas the Western transcendent Heaven appears only as a name, such as God, Zeus, or Allah, the divine title of Gocheon in Daesoon thought, which reflects the Eastern attributive view of Heaven, clearly expresses Eumyang Ohaeng attributes. In Daesoon thought, Eumyang Ohaeng is the principle of Gocheon's cultivation (Hwayuk) of Heaven and Earth, known as Wonhyeong-Ijeong (Origin, Flourishing, Fruition, Consummation). This clearly appears in the parts "Gocheon" (Ninth Heaven) and "Bohwa" (Universal Transformation) within the divine title "Gocheon Eungwon Noeseong Bohwa Cheonjon Gangseong Sangje." First, looking at "Gocheon":

Gocheon (九天) means:

As seen in the Jeongyeong (典經) "...all the divine saints (神聖), Buddhas (佛), and Bodhisattvas (菩薩) gathered and appealed to the Ninth Heaven (九天)... (Gyoun 1-9)," it means they appealed to the Cheonjon (天尊, Honored One of Heaven) who is in the highest position (位) governing (總轄) this universe (宇宙). Therefore, Gocheon (九天) signifies the highest position where Sangje (上帝) presides over (統察) the Three Realms (三界), regulates (調理) Geon-Gon (乾坤, Heaven and Earth), and orchestrates (調鍊) the Unhwa (運化, 운(運) and Transformation).34)

In the example above, Gocheon of Daesoon thought listens to the opinions of the Sinmyeong (divine beings), namely the divine saints, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas. The aspect of being the "Honored One of Heaven (天尊) in the highest position (位) governing (總轄) the universe (宇宙)" is common with the Western transcendent Heaven, but the difference appears in that Gocheon presides over (統察) the Three Realms (三界) through the Sinmyeong, regulates (調理) Geon-Gon (乾坤), and orchestrates (調鍊) the Unhwa (運化). The presence or absence of Sinmyeong intervention, which appears in Daesoon thought's view of Heaven and the Western view of Heaven, is a characteristic difference between them.

Western religion treats the Sinmyeong poorly, so it will not dare succeed.35)

The example above, seen in the Jeongyeong, points out that although the Western view of Heaven has merits over the Eastern view of Heaven in emphasizing the transcendent Heaven, by denying the immanent gods (Sinmyeong), the Western religious view of Heaven, even if it is a substantive view of Heaven, is one that is difficult to succeed. Here, 'success' means, just as parents are said to have succeeded in educating their children when they raise a child better than themselves (referred to as Cheongchul-eoram, "blue indigo from the indigo plant"), in Daesoon thought, it signifies the 'success' when Heaven and Earth meet as Yin and Yang, cultivate all things, and produce humans equal to Heaven and Earth.

Sangje said, "Hereafter is the time when Heaven and Earth succeed." "The Western Spirit (Seosin) takes command and reorganizes all existence, so all principles are gathered and greatly accomplished; this is Gaebyeok (the Great Opening)." "Just as all things fall or mature according to the autumn wind, the truthful ones will gain great fruit, and their lifespan will prosper long." "The false ones will wither, fall, and perish forever." "Therefore, I wield the authority of the gods to purge injustice, or I bestow benevolence to help the righteous; let those who seek blessings and those who seek life strive hard," He said.36)

As in the example above, Daesoon thought's transcendent view of Heaven shows that it cultivates Heaven and Earth through the immanent view of Heaven by the principle of Saengjam-Yeongjang (growth and storage), and that Heaven and Earth, along with humanity, are judged on their success by the Western Spirit (Seosin). Daesoon thought's view of Heaven is dually substantiated by combining the Eastern attributive view of Heaven and the Western substantive view of Heaven. Gocheon is particularly different in that He issued the command to Heaven and Earth to cultivate all things. This appears in the "Bohwa" (Universal Transformation) part of Gocheon's divine title.

Bohwa (普化) means:

It signifies that the transformation (化成) of all existence (萬有) in the universe (宇宙), both tangible (有形) and intangible (無形), is the virtuous influence (德化) of the Cheonjon (天尊, Honored One of Heaven).37)

The example above means that dividing Heaven and Earth into Yin and Yang by Noeseong (Thunder) originally signified Gocheon's Bohwa (Universal Transformation) intended to cultivate Heaven and Earth. Here, the Bo (普) in "Bohwa" (普化) signifies the meaning of Bo (普) as used in the word 'universal' (普遍的, bopyeonjeok). In religious thought, Bo (普) and Hwa (化) were words symbolizing the transcendent Heaven (Cheonoicheon). For example, in the West, "Catholic" which signifies the transcendent Heaven, meant 'universal,' and Hwa (化) was the Eastern concept of Heaven that cultivates all things. The term "Bohwa" (普化) carries the meaning that the Eastern and Western concepts of transcendent Heaven are integrated to cultivate all existence (Manyu).

The concept of "Bohwa" prominently shows the difference between the Western concept of transcendent Heaven, which is said to have created all things, and the Daesoon thought concept of Gocheon, which creates and cultivates all things. If the concept of "Noeseong" (Thunder) in Gocheon's divine title in Daesoon thought has the meaning of "creation" like the Western transcendent view of Heaven, "Bohwa" is related to the evolution of created things. Although there were many debates between creationism and evolutionism surrounding the Western transcendent view of Heaven after the emergence of evolutionary theory, the debate is resolved in Daesoon thought's view of Heaven.

The Western substantive transcendent Heaven appeared as the fifth element in the case of Greece and Rome, and as the monotheistic God in Christianity, but both views of Heaven have the fifth element as a common background. Paul, one of the early disciples of Jesus who was well-versed in Greco-Roman philosophy, sometimes used Greco-Roman philosophy to explain Jesus's ideas. In that Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind formed the cosmology of the Bible from the emergence of Christianity until modern times, the fifth element also plays the role of the transcendent Heaven in Christianity. Gocheon of Daesoon thought, which applied the dual properties of "Earth" to the explanation of the transcendent Heaven, includes and transcends the meaning of the Western fifth element. The dual view of Heaven, incorporating the concept of transcendence substantiated by Daesoon thought and immanence, synthesizes the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity from all ages that appeared in modern times, and develops beyond modernity into postmodernity. Daesoon thought's substantive view of Gocheon is the stage where the liminal aspect of indigenous modernity—which includes and transcends the Eastern attributive view of Heaven (1), the Western substantive view of Heaven (2), and Donghak thought's transcendent view of Heaven (3)—has reached revitalization (1+2+3=1′).

Focusing on the fact that Daesoon thought became activated not in the late Joseon period but in modern Korean society after the 1980s, studies approaching Daesoon thought from the perspective of 1980s postmodernism, rather than simply as a new religion of the late Joseon period, are also gaining attention. Looking at research that views Daesoon thought in the realm of postmodernism, there is the religious studies research by Lee Gyeong-won and the psychology of religion research by Ko Nam-sik.38) The dissertation by Park Maria, a full-scale study of Daesoon thought as postmodern thought, presents Daesoon thought as a solution to the problem of pluralism according to modern postmodernism.39)40)

Kang Don-gu states that it is true that there have recently been attempts to explain the changes in world religions under the themes of 'religion and modernity' and 'religion and postmodernity.' However, the concept of postmodernism as used today, meaning post-structuralism, etc., lacks the new existential concept Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) intended when he first coined the term, and is being used excessively in a structuralist sense.41) The concept of 'existence after existentialism,' which Arnold Toynbee referred to as postmodernism, was a concept that emphasized existence even more than today's post-structuralism. Turner has stated that the concept of liminality was also an existential rebellion against Claude Lévi-Strauss's structural anthropology, which excessively emphasized structure.42)43)

In fact, postmodernism began to flourish after the 1990s, and even its earliest beginnings, before the 1960s, trace back to the existential historian Arnold Toynbee, who, looking 50 years ahead, coined the term postmodernism. In late modern Western philosophy, known as postmodernism, figures like Deleuze, Lacan, and Derrida pursued a unification of Western thought similar to the concept of Igi (理氣, Principle and Material Force), but its limitations are still witnessed today.44)

Autogenous Modernity in the Cheonji Seongyeongsin (天地誠敬信) View of the Earthly Realm

View of Earth as the Earthly Realm (地界觀)

Daesoon Thought's view of Heaven, which came to possess both attributive and substantial characteristics simultaneously through the divine incarnation, also has a multiple view of Earth (Jigwan), much like Donghak Thought. First, when Daesoon Thought's view of Heaven is defined as the transcendent Heaven, Gucheon, Daesoon Thought's view of Earth (Jigwan) also encompasses the concept of Heaven-and-Earth (Cheonji) existing below Gucheon, just as in Donghak Thought. The difference from Donghak Thought is that whereas Donghak's view of Earth was mainly expressed as unseen realities like muwi-ihwa (non-acting transformation), gihwa (materialization), and johwa (creation-transformation), Daesoon Thought expresses it concretely as the Earthly Realm (Jigye), which includes the world of divine beings (sinmyeong).

Sangje also said, "Because the Earth's energy (Jigi) is not unified, the human race living within it has conflicting ideologies, and everyone thinks differently, leading to mutual strife and conflict. To eliminate this, one must harmonize the divine beings (sinmyeong) of all ages through Haewon (Resolution of Grievances) and adjust the measures (dosu) of Heaven and Earth; when this is achieved, Heaven and Earth will be opened (Gaebyeok) and a paradise (Seongyeong) will be established."45)

In the example above, relative to Gucheon, both Heaven and Earth are entities possessing form, but among them, Earth becomes the representative entity possessing form. Since Earth is also composed of divine beings (sinmyeong), changing the Earth also begins with the divine beings. Thus, unlike Western religion (Seogyo), which treated divine beings poorly, Joseon, which treated them well, is highlighted, and the place where Sangje incarnated also becomes Joseon. The establishment of Daesoon Thought's view of the Earthly Realm (Jigye-gwan) begins with Gucheon stopping in the Eastern land (Dongto) and the divine incarnation occurring in Joseon.

One day, Sangje took Gyeong-seok from Nongam and, on the way to Jeongeup, stopped at a tavern in Wonpyeong, called over a passerby, bought him alcohol, and said, "This road is the sea route to Namjoseon (Southern Joseon). We must load much cargo before departing," and then hurried on the road, reaching a place thirty ri away, saying, "A great formation (Daejin) travels thirty ri in one party," and stayed at the house of Park Gong-woo, who lived in the jaesil (ritual house) of the Choe family in Songwol-ri, Gobu. He said to Gong-woo and Gyeong-seok, "Now that I have met the one I was meant to meet, the Tongjeongsin (Spirit of Mutual Understanding) emerges. My work is something that even my parents and siblings do not know." He continued, "I descended to the Cheongyetap (Tower of Divine Revelation) in the Great Western Nation of France, toured the world (Daesoon), and then, taking the authority of the Three Realms (Samgye), I came to open a paradise (Seongyeong) through the Gaebyeok of the Three Realms and save the people of the world who have fallen into annihilation; the reason I stopped in this land while touring your Eastern country is to first help the obscure, weak nation buried in calamity and resolve the grievances accumulated throughout the ages. Those who follow me will receive eternal fortune and blessings, achieve immortality, and enjoy the pleasures of an eternal paradise; this is the True Donghak. In the Gungeul-ga (Song of Gung-eul), it is said, 'The lands and rivers of Joseon are a famed land (Myeongsan). A Dotong Gunja (Gentleman who has attained the Dao) will be born again'; this also refers to my work. It is transmitted among Donghak followers that a Daeseonsaeng (Great Teacher) will be reborn (gaengsaeng); this means a Daeseonsaeng (Teacher of the Era) will emerge again, and I am that Daeseonsaeng."46)

The example above shows that the reason for the divine incarnation in Joseon includes the purpose of Haewon (Resolution of Grievances), as expressed in the phrase, "to first help the obscure, weak nation buried in calamity and resolve the grievances accumulated throughout the ages." The Haewon of the Earth was one of the main purposes of the Haewon-gongsa (Work of Resolution of Grievances) within the Cheonjigongsa (Work of Reordering Heaven and Earth).

Now that we have entered the age of Haewon, people who were obscure will gain momentum, and lands that were abandoned will have their energy restored.47)

However, as there were many obscure and weak nations besides Joseon at that time, the Jeon-gyeong provides an additional explanation.

There is no place in this world that treats divine beings (sinmyeong) as well as Joseon. The divine beings, wishing to repay that grace, will support [the people] according to their respective wishes without any lack, so the practitioners (doin) will be able to engage in the work of the world (cheonhasa) without any hindrance.48)

The example above shows that the reason the divine incarnation occurred in Joseon is that Joseon was not only an obscure and weak nation, but also the nation among the obscure and weak nations that treated divine beings (sinmyeong) the best. Furthermore, the fact that the place where the divine incarnation occurred was Jeongeup, where the Samshinsan (Three Spirit Mountains) are located within Joseon, shows that the background of the divine incarnation also implies the meaning of a sacred site (seongji) of the earth, like Samshinsan.

This is the place where the three mountains—Bongnaesan (Mt. Penglai), Yeongjusan (Mt. Yingzhou), also known as Sinseonbong (Immortal Peak), and Bangjangsan (Mt. Fangzhang)—have been called the Samshinsan (Three Spirit Mountains) since ancient times.49)

The example above shows that just as the Celestial Realm (Cheongye) is divided into 33 heavens or 36 heavens centered on the North Star, through the Big Dipper and the 28 constellations around it, the divine incarnation also occurred on Earth with the Samshinsan, which is equivalent to the North Star of the sky, as its background. Although the central mountain of the Earth is Kunlun Mountain, in terms of the virtuous concordance (eumyanghapdeok) of Heaven and Earth, Samshinsan can meaningfully be the center of the Earth. It shows that the sacred and the secular were reorganized against the background of Gucheon's divine incarnation. Once the divine incarnation took place, it appeared as the Cheonjigongsa (Work of Reordering Heaven and Earth).

As Sangje often made a sound like a ship´s horn, disciples asked Him why He did so. He answered, “For enabling this country to gain superiority in the world, the divine beings in the West must be called in. They shall come over here, attached to cargo tags.”

50)

In the example above, the divine beings crossing over to Joseon according to the cargo manifests is due to the Cheonjigongsa, but it is also in accordance with the principles of the Cheonjigongsa. Since the principles of the Cheonjigongsa include the principle of wonsibanbon (Returning to the Origin), the principle by which the view of the Earthly Realm (Jigye-gwan) is established in the Cheonjigongsa is also based on wonsibanbon.

One day in April of the Musin year, he spoke again to his followers, saying, "In this world, the Pung (Wind) surname existed first, but it was not transmitted, and only remains in terms of appearance, such as pungchae (demeanor), pungsin (physique), and punggol (stature). After that, the Kang (Jiang) surname emerged, which is the origin of surnames. Therefore, facing the era of Gaebyeok, it becomes wonsibanbon (Returning to the Origin), so the Kang surname has come to take charge of the work."51)

Applying the example above to the view of the Earthly Realm, the principle by which the divine incarnation occurred in Joseon is because Samshinsan, the center of the Earth, is there. Furthermore, the reason Joseon became the background for the Cheonjigongsa includes not only the grievance (Won) of being an obscure and weak nation but also a larger historical background. Looking closely, Geumsansa Temple, where the establishment of Daesoon Thought's view of the Earthly Realm began, can be connected to Matteo Ricci, and even further back, to ancient history.

An alternative modernity that is not biased toward materialism can be presented through the Haewon (Resolution of Grievances) by which an obscure and weak nation succeeds. According to the principle of Sangsaeng (Mutual Beneficence) presented by Jeungsan, the method of Japanese Haewon, which first resolves the Cheok (grievance-debt) incurred against Japan, is applied. The Haewon method appearing in the view of the Earthly Realm (Jigye-gwan) of True Donghak (Chamdonghak) is that if Japan's grievances are resolved (Haewon), Joseon can receive China's Boeun (Repayment of Grace), and upon receiving China's Boeun, it can resolve the grievances of the whole world through Oseonwigi (Five Immortals Playing Go) and become a first-class nation with the help of the whole world. In fact, Korea, which was at the world's lowest GNP level when the Cheonjigongsa began, is the only country among those with colonial experience to have since achieved modernity, including political democratization, economic industrialization, and cultural advancement. Daesoon Thought identified the reason for Donghak Thought's failure as the absence of the 'Haewon' ideology and revived 'Donghak' Thought as True Donghak (Chamdonghak).52)

When the Donghak army, which had been victorious in Jeonju with only the Southern Assembly (Namjeop), was joined by the Northern Assembly (Bukjeop) and advanced to Ugeumchi, the counterattack by the Japanese army with the Gatling Gun, the world's first machine gun, was a fatal blow they had never dreamed of. The Donghak army uprising was the first nationwide uprising in thousands of years of Korean history, but the result was an unprecedented catastrophe. In the history of Korean popular movements, where righteous armies (uibyeong) had achieved numerous successes, the Donghak army was almost the first to experience both great success and failure simultaneously, and they could not understand the meaning of that success and failure. It is said that the time when Jeungsan intended to prepare for the Cheonjigongsa was precisely when the Donghak Peasant Revolution had been suppressed and the yangban (aristocrats) were holding poetry gatherings (sihoe) as celebratory events.53)

For the Donghak followers, who were ignorant of the international situation and did not understand the difference between Japan and Korea, Jeungsan's explanation was difficult to comprehend. Jeungsan's explanation and gongsa (work) that Japan needed to resolve its grievances (Haewon) against Joseon—a Joseon that had only ever been invaded by Japan—was unacceptable at the time. Jeungsan stated that what Japan needed to resolve (Haewon) were the three grievances (Won) that arose during the Imjin War (Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592-1598), called Japan the 'Samhandang' (Hall of Three Grievances), and prioritized resolving Japan's grievances as part of the Jigye-gongsa (Work of the Earthly Realm) related to the world situation within the Cheonjigongsa.54) The three grievances Japan experienced during the Imjin War were: failing to capture the king, inefficiently causing too many casualties, and reviving Joseon's economy by teaching it double-cropping techniques.55)

After the Japanese Haewon-gongsa, Jeungsan performs the Danju Haewon-gongsa (Work of Resolving Danju's Grievance), the grievance of the first ancestor of humanity, which common sense would dictate should be the very first priority of the Ingye-gongsa (Work of the Human Realm). The resolution of the grievance of Danju, the son of Emperor Yao, which is said to be the beginning of human grievances (Won), occurs in the process of progressing to China's Boeun (Repayment of Grace) after the Japanese Haewon; therefore, it seems the Japanese Haewon was prioritized over the Ingye-gongsa as a Jigye-gongsa.56) Jeungsan states that, contrary to common sense, China, having received tribute from Joseon, must repay its grace (Boeun) to Joseon, while Japan, having something to receive from Joseon, must resolve its grievances (Haewon).57)58)

Jeungsan also refers to the Japanese as 'people who see to work,' stating that he would make Japan defeat Russia, which was Britain's rival at the time, elevate Japan to the top of the world stage, and protect East Asia from the racial discrimination experienced by Western colonies.59)60)

Among Jeungsan's future predictions, what impressed the populace at the time was undoubtedly the prophecy of Donghak's downfall and Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War.61) Jeungsan followed his followers Ahn Pil-seong and Kim Hyeong-ryeol to the Cheongju Battle led by Kim Gae-nam, which occurred around the same time as the Battle of Ugeumchi, prepared their escape route after the defeat, and saved their lives.62) Furthermore, Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War was an event unforeseen by the world powers.63) Jeungsan's words and actions, having foreseen the unexpected southeast wind that brought victory to Japan in the Russo-Japanese War, received much attention.64)

Daesoon Thought, according to the principle of Dogang-iseo (Crossing the River to the West) and following the 50-year Gongbu Jongpil (Completion of Study Record) of Doju Jo Jeong-san who came from Manchuria, avoided the Korean War and developed in a saduyongmi (snake's head, dragon's tail) manner.65) Mugeukdo, which preemptively moved its headquarters to Taegeuk Village in Gamcheon, Busan, in response to the sudden liberation and the Korean War, later changed its name to Taegeukdo and then connected to Park Wudang's Daesoon Jinrihoe in Seoul in 1969.66)67)68)

Along with the principle of Wonsibanbon (Returning to the Origin), Haewon (Resolution of Grievances) becomes an important element in the establishment of modernity in Daesoon Thought's view of the Earthly Realm (Jigye-gwan). Western modernity, which discards the past in favor of prospects for the future, is like a dangerous mountain climb that only moves forward without securing a path of return. The assessment of Western modernity found in Daesoon Thought was that Western modernity, lacking Haewon for the past, only amplified past grievances (Won), bringing humanity to an irretrievable state of annihilation. The principle of indigenous modernity appearing in Daesoon Thought is that true modernity begins with Haewon, and this starts from the view of the Earthly Realm (Jigye-gwan), which has relatively more grievances than the view of the Celestial Realm (Cheongye-gwan), and was only possible after the divine incarnation.

The View of the Earthly Realm (Jigye-gwan) based on Cheonji Seong-Gyeong-Sin (Sincerity, Reverence, and Faith of Heaven and Earth)

In Donghak Thought, which was the occasion for the re-emergence of the transcendent Heaven in Eastern thought, the understanding of Earth was presented through concepts such as creative transformation (johwa 造化), non-doing and self-transformation (muwi-ihwa 無爲而化), and qi-transformation (gihwa 氣化). However, in Daesoon Thought, in which Gucheon appears as a substantial reality, Earth [地] is understood through the concept of the divine beings of Heaven and Earth (cheonji-sinmyeong).

One day, Sangje said to his followers, "It is not that I wished to take charge of this Work. The Cheonjisinmyeong gathered and appealed that Heaven and Earth could not be set right without Sangje, so although it is boundlessly agonizing, I had no choice but to take charge."69)

The example above states that the appearance of Gucheon in Daesoon Thought was not by Gucheon's own will but an unavoidable result of the appeal by the Cheonjisinmyeong to save Heaven and Earth, which had fallen into a state of annihilation. In Daesoon Thought, where Gucheon possesses substance, the view of Earth (Jigwan) takes the form of a view of the Earthly Realm (Jigye-gwan), implying multiple meanings. In Donghak Thought, Heaven and Earth appeared in abstract and law-like forms, such as Gihwa, Johwa, and Muwi-ihwa, rather than as personal divine beings (sinmyeong); however, in Daesoon Thought, where the transcendent God possesses substance, Heaven and Earth appear to humans in the form of personal divine beings. As a result, in Daesoon Thought, the Earthly Realm (Jigye), as the concept of the view of Earth corresponding to Gucheon, reveals itself as the Three Realms (Samgye), the system of the Cheonjisinmyeong.

One day in the first month of the Jeongmi year, while Kim Gwang-chan and Shin Won-il were attending Sangje, Sangje said to them, "Spiritual beings (gwisin) are utmost in truth (jilli), so I judge the Cheonjigongsa (Work of Reordering Heaven and Earth) together with them," and posted a writing on the wall as follows.70)

In the example above, the expression "utmost in truth" indicates two meanings: the aspect of "single-mindedness" (ilsim) and the aspect of "immersion and concentration." "Single-mindedness" means being outstanding in one field, which can be interpreted to mean that other divine beings (sinmyeong) exist for other fields. Furthermore, the characteristic of divine beings as specialized, mechanical beings contrasts with humans, who possess relatively organic bodies. If divine beings, like experts, are outstanding in one field but ignorant of others, humans, like managers, know broadly but are inferior to divine beings in specific fields. It means that humans are beings with an organic nature capable of complementing specialized divine beings so they can harmonize with each other.

Specifically, it shows that in Daesoon Thought, the divine beings (sinmyeong) are composed of numerous beings who, like specialized machines, are outstanding in one specific field but do not intervene in other fields. Ultimately, Daesoon Thought reveals the hidden principle of the Eastern Samjae (Three Potencies) wherein the universe is operated by two types of beings: the mechanical divine beings (sinmyeong), who are utmost in the truth of one field, and the organic humans, who are not experts utmost in the truth of one field but are broadly conversant in many fields. The operation of Heaven and Earth must be free of errors (chachak), so it is operated by divine beings (sinmyeong) who are utmost in truth.

Heaven and Earth are filled with divine beings (sinmyeong); if a spirit departs from even a single blade of grass, it will wither, and if a spirit moves from even an earthen wall, it will collapse.71)

In the example above, the earthen wall is said to represent inanimate objects, and the blade of grass represents life. The example above explains the system of the Three Realms (Samgye) in Daesoon Thought. The "Gye" (Realm) of Samgye (Three Realms) signifies a system filled with divine beings (sinmyeong). The Three Realms of Daesoon Thought consist of the Celestial Realm (Cheongye) and the Earthly Realm (Jigye), which are systems of divine beings, and the Human Realm (Ingye), which is the system of humans. Therefore, the principles by which the Three Realms operate differ in the Celestial, Earthly, and Human Realms. Since divine beings (sinmyeong) are utmost in the truth of one field, they sometimes do not follow Gucheon's instructions regarding the field they are in charge of.

One day, Sangje said to his followers, "When I called the divine beings of the Buan region, they did not respond, so I had to go to that region to find out the situation. I found it was because when Won-il was conducting his gongbu (practice), the local deities (Jibangsin) were guarding him and could not leave. Seeing things like this, how can you neglect your gongbu?"72)

In the example above, Gucheon called the divine beings of the Buan region, but the Buan local deities were so utmost in truth that they did not respond to Sangje's call because they had work within their own domain. The fact of being utmost in truth also implies problems. Therefore, Gucheon presents the mutual harmonization of divine beings and humans as the method for solving problems.

In Daesoon Thought, Heaven and Earth operate precisely like machines, yet their operation is not random but is driven by the utmost Seong-Gyeong-Sin (Sincerity, Reverence, and Faith) of the divine beings (sinmyeong) who operate Heaven and Earth. The passage that clearly reveals that the hwayuk (nurturing transformation) of Heaven and Earth is accomplished through the Seong-Gyeong-Sin of Heaven and Earth appears for the first time in Daesoon Thought's Jeon-gyeong.

天地誠敬信73)

Seong-Gyeong-Sin is a term combining the individual concepts of Seong (Sincerity), Gyeong (Reverence), and Sin (Faith), signifying the entirety of effort required to accomplish tasks. In Daesoon Thought, the Seong-Gyeong-Sin of divine beings is expressed as the most utmost Seong-Gyeong-Sin among various applied examples of Seong-Gyeong-Sin. Since humans and divine beings share this Seong-Gyeong-Sin while performing Haewon and Boeun, Seong-Gyeong-Sin becomes both a principle of nature and a principle of human cultivation (sudo). In Daesoon Thought, humans and divine beings form a relationship of Sin-in Uido (Mutual Dependence and Guidance between Divine Beings and Humans) through Seong-Gyeong-Sin, establishing a relationship of Haewon and Boeun.

Sin-in i Eum-yang Seong Johwa... (Divine Beings and Humans achieve Creation-Transformation through Yin and Yang...)

神無人後無托而所依人無神前無導而所依74)

The example above shows that the complementary relationship between divine beings and humans in Daesoon Thought is crucial for the operation of Heaven and Earth, involving the Sin-in Uido (Mutual Dependence and Guidance) of different divine beings and humans. Sin-in Uido signifies a relationship where divine beings (sinmyeong), being bright in specific fields because they lack bodies, can guide (Do) humans, but also, lacking bodies, must depend on (Eui) humans. The example above, stating that divine beings and humans are in a Yin-Yang relationship—that without humans, divine beings have nowhere to entrust themselves, and without divine beings, humans have no one to guide them—shows that the relationship between humans and divine beings is a core relationship in the operation of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, the relationship of Uido (Dependence and Guidance) hinges on the Eun-Won (Grace and Grievance) relationship between divine beings and humans, namely Haewon and Boeun. The Earthly Realm (Jigye), like the Celestial Realm (Cheongye), also has the meaning of a system, and research on Daesoon Thought's Jigye-gongsa (Work of the Earthly Realm) has mainly been studied as the Jigi-tongil-gongsa (Work of Unifying Earth's Energy). The Earthly Realm in Daesoon Thought primarily moves toward a state of integration and reconciliation through the method of Haewon, whereby the Earth itself resolves its grievances.

'Haewon' proceeded in a manner akin to what is termed 'liminality' in modern anthropology. Liminality means 'threshold' and refers to a boundary state of being neither one thing nor the other. In anthropology, rites of passage found worldwide represent Haewon, accepting the change called 'Haewon' through liminal ceremonies, like weddings or funerals, which are neither one state nor the other. For example, the Japanese annexation of Korea (Han-il Happang) was a liminal state—neither Japan nor Korea—and through this, Japan resolves its grievances (Haewon). Liminality is becoming in a state of yeokjisaji (putting oneself in another's shoes), like a 'spirit marriage.' The Japanese Haewon is an objective token demonstrating the reality of the Cheonjigongsa, known as the Haewon-gongsa; the Japanese Haewon was such an important gongsa (work) that it required 36 years.75)

In Daesoon Thought, the Celestial Realm (Cheongye) is the place where the celestial court (Cheonsang-gongjeong) is held, just as the divine saints, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas gathered to appeal to Sangje; the Earthly Realm (Jigye) is the world of civilization and form where, in the space opened between Heaven and Earth after Matteo Ricci's death, the subterranean civilization spirits (Jihasin) ascend to the celestial realm, learn civilization, and bestow it upon the human world.76) Attributive nature and substantial humans harmonize through the civilization spirits (Munmyeongsin).77) Daesoon Thought is the ideology that emerged to reorganize the Three Realms when their order was disrupted by human grievances (Won), and it is here that traces of East-West convergence appear.

When Daesoon Thought's Heaven (Cheon) is considered the substantial Gucheon, the Cheonjisinmyeong (Divine Beings of Heaven and Earth) correspond to Earth (Ji); therefore, the beings appealing to Gucheon are the divine saints, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas. Viewed in relation to modernity, from Daesoon Thought's perspective, the divine beings (sinmyeong) bestowed [blessings] upon humans, but humans, biased toward materialism, forgot the grace of the divine beings, causing Heaven and Earth to fall into annihilation. The divine beings (sinmyeong) appearing in the Celestial Realm (Cheongye) of Daesoon Thought correspond not only to the Eastern concept of Heaven, which signified only attributes, but also to the Western concept of God, which emphasizes substance.

In Daesoon Thought, the Earth is a place where divine beings (sinmyeong) can be enshrined. Divine beings are not enshrined only in Heaven; they also move to the Earth and to humans according to the changes of the times.

Injon (Human Worthiness) is greater than Cheonjon (Celestial Worthiness) and Jijon (Terrestrial Worthiness); now is the Injon era. Be diligent in your mind.78)

In the example above, Cheonjon refers to the Celestial Worthiness of the Cheonjon era, when the divine was enshrined in Heaven, and Jijon refers to the Terrestrial Worthiness, enshrined in the Earth. The liminality and revitalization based on Daesoon Thought's correlative thinking, which enable Injon (Human Worthiness) where divine beings can be enshrined in humans, can be described as Eumyanghapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang), Samjae-hwakrip (Establishment of the Three Potencies), and Ohaeng-gubi (Equipping of the Five Elements).

The emergence of the substantialist Gucheon due to the divine incarnation appears as an powol (encompassing transcendence) of the Heaven-Earth relationship. In Daesoon Thought, where divine beings (sinmyeong) appear, the Heaven-Earth relationship, which had been changed by the appearance of Gucheon in Donghak Thought, changes into a substantial relationship. Daesoon Thought, which connects the Three Realms through the concept of Geumgang (Diamond), i.e., 'Noeseong' (Thunder), resolves the conflict (sanggeuk) in the Heaven-Earth relationship—which Donghak Thought could not resolve even with the concept of 'Cheonjigwisin' (Spirits of Heaven and Earth)—through revitalization via Jeong-eum Jeong-yang (Right Yin and Right Yang).79)80)

One day, Sangje had the followers practice the Oju (Five Incantations) to adjust the Yin-Yang dosu (measures) in the Later World (Hucheon). When the followers finished their practice and settled in their respective places, Sangje distributed slips of paper and said, "I intend to see the Yin-Yang dosu of the Later World. Each of you, mark a dot so that others cannot know." The followers then marked dots as they wished and submitted them. He said, "Eung-jong marked two dots, Gyeong-su three dots, Nae-seong eight dots, Gyeong-seok twelve dots, and Gong-sin one dot. There is no nine, so the old saying of 'one man, nine women' cannot be known." He then asked Nae-seong, "Did you mark eight dots because of the saying 'eight fairies'?" and said to Eung-jong and Gyeong-su, "Old men desire two wives, but how could they manage?" They asked back, "In the Later World, will new vitality not emerge?" He replied, "That seems plausible." Then Sangje asked Gyeong-seok, "Why do you desire twelve wives?" He replied, "I would only be satisfied if I had one wife in each of the twelve empires." Hearing this, Sangje again said, "That seems plausible," and turning to Gong-sin, he asked, "Gyeong-seok desires twelve, why do you think of only one?" He answered, "There is only Geon (Heaven) and Gon (Earth); there cannot be two Gons. I know the principle is one Yin and one Yang." Sangje said, "Your words are correct," and commanded, "You have seen the gongsa (work) well; treat the guests well." Gong-sin carried out the order as spoken. After finishing this Yin-Yang dosu, Sangje instructed Gong-sin, "Yours is the dosu of Jeong-eum Jeong-yang (Right Yin and Right Yang), so endure that energy well and cultivate (suryeon) with a right mind (jeongsim)." He added, "There is the dosu of King Mun and the dosu of Yi Yun; undertaking that dosu will be extremely difficult."81)

In the example above, Jeong-eum Jeong-yang (Right Yin and Right Yang) means that while Heaven and Earth corresponded multiply in the Former World (Seoncheon), they will correspond one-to-one in the Later World (Hucheon). The conflict-based (sanggeuk) Heaven-Earth relationship of Yangjon-eumbi (Yang revered, Yin debased), Eogeum-jonyang (Suppressing Yin, Revering Yang), and Cheonjon-jibi (Heaven revered, Earth debased) becomes the Jeong-eum Jeong-yang Sangsaeng (Mutual Beneficence) of Daesoon Thought, and the Heaven-Earth relationship transforms into an Earthly Paradise (Jisang-cheonguk). Earthly Paradise (Jisang-cheonguk) is a concept representing the Sangsaeng transformation of the Heaven-Earth relationship in Daesoon Thought, signifying the Eumyanghapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang) of Heaven and Earth, meaning that the kingdom of heaven is realized on Earth, and Earth itself becomes heaven. In Daesoon Thought, the Earthly Paradise is achieved through the Jeong-eum Jeong-yang gongsa, but it manifests as the principle of the 12 Unseong (Phases of Energy), by which Heaven and Earth nurture (hwayuk) from the time they were separated.

年月日時分刻輪廻皆是元亨利貞天地之道也82)

The example above shows that Won-Hyeong-I-Jeong (Yuan-Heng-Li-Zhen), symbolizing the energies of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, is a principle that applies with infinite superposition to the year, month, day, hour, minute, and moment; it also clearly states that Buddhist reincarnation (yunhoe) is one of the Yeon-Wol-Il-Si-Bun-Kak-Yunhoe (Cycles of Year, Month, Day, Hour, Minute, and Moment).83) Based on the principle of the Circle (Won), reincarnation (yunhoe) is not limited to the reincarnation of life (saeng) as in Buddhism, but operates as a fractal principle in the macrocosmic and microcosmic spatio-temporal worlds. In the Jeon-gyeong, Won-Hyeong-I-Jeong is also expressed as the Dae-gyeong Dae-beop (Great Classic and Great Law), the fundamental principle of all changes in the universe.84)85)

In the example above, Won-Hyeong-I-Jeong and the 12 Unseong (Phases of Energy) appear in a Che-Yong (Substance-Function) relationship. Daesoon Thought revealed that the 12 Unseong of Myeongrihak (Study of Life and Destiny), whose origin and operating principles were previously unknown, are in a Che-Yong (Substance-Function) relationship with Won-Hyeong-I-Jeong, the Dao of Heaven and Earth. Just as the 5 Wun (Five Movements) as Che (Substance) manifest realistically as the 6 Gi (Six Energies) as Yong (Function), it is said that Won-Hyeong-I-Jeong, the Dao of Heaven and Earth as Che, manifests as the Yong of the 12 Unseong: Po-Tae-Yang-Saeng-Yok-Dae-Gwan-Wang-Soe-Byeong-Sa-Jang.

Po-Tae-Yang-Saeng-Yok-Dae-Gwan-Wang-Soe-Byeong-Sa-Jang are the 12 Unseong (Phases of Energy), or the Potaebeop (Law of Gestation and Birth), originating from Ungihak (Study of Movements and Energies). Po-Tae (Conception/Gestation) is the baby implanting in the mother's womb, Yang-Saeng (Nourishment/Birth) is the implanted fetus developing, Yok-Dae (Bathing/Girding) is the baby emerging from the mother's womb, and Gwan-Wang (Capping/Prospering) refers to wearing a hat (coming of age) and becoming vigorously active. Po-Tae-Yang-Saeng-Yok-Dae-Gwan-Wang-Soe-Byeong-Sa-Jang (Conception, Gestation, Nourishment, Birth, Bathing, Girding, Capping, Prospering, Declining, Sickness, Death, and Burial) are terms from the 'Yin-Yang Hyuwangseol' (Theory of Yin-Yang Rest and Prosperity), also known today as the 12 Unseong. The 'Yin-Yang Hyuwangseol' refers to the movement of Gi (Energy) corresponding to the 6 Gi within the 5 Wun 6 Gi (Five Movements and Six Energies) of Yeokhak (Study of Changes); for example, Gap (甲), which is Wood Gi, becomes the most vigorous Gwan (Capping) in In (寅) Wood, and becomes Tae (Gestation), where the energy begins, in Sin (申) Metal, which is in a sanggeuk (conflict/overcoming) relationship with Wood.

Although the theory of Eumyanghyuwangseol (Theory of Yin-Yang's Rest and Prosperity) is used in some parts of Myeongrihak (study of divination) today, it is not a concept used universally enough in Yeokhak (study of Changes/I Ching) to be called Cheonjijiyong (Function of Heaven and Earth); nonetheless, it is emphasized enough in the JeonGyeong to be cited as the Cheonjijiyong that forms a Che-Yong (Substance-Function) relationship with Wonhyeongijeong (Origin, Flourishing, Advantage, Firmness). Since Yeokhak presents the fundamental model for all circulation, it can be said that Eumyanghyuwangseol, which deals with the circulation of Gi (energy) and can be considered the core of circulation in Yeokhak, was mentioned as Cheonjijiyong in the JeonGyeong. In Daesoon Thought, Eumyanghyuwangseol became the basic framework for problem-solving. The principles of problem-solving, Jisoseonhu (knowing the order of priority) and Hubak (knowing the thickness and thinness, i.e., importance), show that matters are accomplished according to the order of I (Principle) and Gi (Energy), namely, the order of Eumyanghyuwang (Yin-Yang's Rest and Prosperity).86)

The 12 Unseong (Twelve Phases of Fortune/Energy) is a typical growth theory that divides the entire growth process of life—from conception, growth, and development to activity—into 12 stages. The 12 Unseong are based on the concepts of 'Eumsal-yangsaeng' (Yin kills, Yang gives life) and 'Eumyangsunyeokjiseol' (Theory of the Forward and Reverse cycles of Yin and Yang), which are inevitable outcomes of the encounter between Yin-Yang theory and Five Elements theory. 'Eumsal-yangsaeng' means that the waning of Yin is the waxing of Yang, and 'Eumyangsunyeokjiseol' means that the reverse is also true. In fact, 'Eumsal-yangsaeng' and 'Eumyangsunyeokjiseol' also appear in the JeonGyeong.87)

陰殺陽生陽殺陰生生殺之道在於陰陽人可用陰陽然後方可謂人生也88)

The 12 Unseong appearing in the Huainanzi and the Baihutongyi are manifested in Eumsal-yangsaeng, where the Five Elements meet the Eight Trigrams to generate, grow, converge, and store. The 12 Unseong represent the manner in which the 10 Gan (Celestial Stems) influence the 12 Ji (Terrestrial Branches). The mention of the 12 Unseong from the Ungihak (Study of Cosmic Energy Cycles) of the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) shows that the JeonGyeong reflects the Ungihak's distinction between the macrocosm and the microcosm. In Daesoon Thought, the status of the Earth is highlighted as an entity that undergoes the changes of Heaven and Earth and the 12 Unseong. Daesoon Thought divides the 12 Unseong by 2, referring to the Cheonjijiyong (Function of Heaven and Earth) as the 6 Yong (Six Functions), and the 6 Yong as the 3 Deok (Three Virtues) of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.89)

Yuk-yong (Six Functions) and Sam-deok (Three Virtues); the Three Virtues are Cheon-deok (Virtue of Heaven), Ji-deok (Virtue of Earth), and In-deok (Virtue of Humanity). Their integration is called Dae-deok (Great Virtue). (Omitted)

天地之用胞胎養生浴帶冠旺衰病死葬而已90)

Therefore, the 12 Unseong are divided into the 6 Yong (Six Functions)—Potae, Yangsaeng, Yokdae, Gwanwang, Soebyeong, and Sajang—and Potae, Yangsaeng, and Yokdae correspond to the Sam-deok (Three Virtues) of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The Cheonjihwayuk (Transformation and Nurturance of Heaven and Earth) is accomplished by these Three Virtues of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, which in turn interlocks with Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon (Daoism) related to Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

In Daesoon Thought, where the Gucheon (Ninth Heaven) appears as substance, concepts from Donghak's view of Earth, such as Johwa (Creation-Transformation), Muwi-ihwa (Spontaneous Transformation without Action), and Gihwa (Materialization/Transformation of Gi), are materialized through the concept of Cheonjisinmyeong (Divine Beings of Heaven and Earth), clarifying the relationships between components, such as revealing the Che-Yong (Substance-Function) relationship between the 12 Unseong and Wonhyeongijeong. The view of the Earthly Realm in Daesoon Thought, expanded into Cheonjijiyong, accommodates the East's condensative view of Earth (1), the West's material view of Earth (2), and Donghak's Johwajeong (Stabilized Creation-Transformation) view of Earth (3), presenting a new view of the Earthly Realm based on Cheonjijiyong. Through this, a rearrangement of the sacred and the secular integrating East and West—that is, modernity—is established, and it further transitions into post-modernity.91)

The Revitalization of Eastern and Western Views of Earth Manifested in the View of the Earthly Realm based on Cheonji-Seong-Gyeong-Sin (Sincerity, Reverence, and Faith of Heaven and Earth)

The Revitalization of Confucian, Buddhist, and Seon (Daoist) Views of Earth Manifested in the View of the Earthly Realm based on Cheonji-Seong-Gyeong-Sin

In Daesoon Thought, it is said that Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon (Daoism) are related to the 12 Unseong of Cheonjijiyong.

受天地之虛無仙之胞胎

受天地之寂滅佛之養生

受天地之以詔儒之浴帶92)

According to the principle of the 12 Unseong, it is said that Seondo (Way of Seon/Daoism) emerged possessing Heomu (Voidness), the Potae energy of Heaven and Earth; Buldo (Way of Buddhism) emerged possessing Jeokmyeol (Nirvanic Extinction), the Yangsaeng energy of Heaven and Earth; and Confucianism's Ijo (Proclamation/Mandate) emerged possessing the Yokdae energy of Heaven and Earth. In Daesoon Thought, since the growth process of Heaven and Earth is applied to all things in the universe, human growth can also be interpreted through the 12 Unseong growth principle of Heaven and Earth. Daesoon Thought explains human growth with the consistency of the 12 Unseong. Seon (Daoism), Buddhism, and Confucianism become interconnected entities through the relationship of Potae, Yangsaeng, and Yokdae, respectively. Examining the roles that Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon (Daoism) perform through Potae, Yangsaeng, and Yokdae:

佛之形體仙之造化儒之凡節93)

Buddhism, through Yangsaeng (Nourishment), creates Hyeongche (Form/Body), and Seon (Daoism), through Johwa (Creation-Transformation), achieves Potae (Conception) by harmonizing Yin and Yang. The baby, having emerged from the womb, learns Beomjeol (Etiquette/Rites). If humanity develops in the order of Seon (Potae, Heaven), Buddhism (Yangsaeng, Earth), and Confucianism (Yokdae, Humanity), then Heaven and Earth emerge in the reverse order: Confucianism (Ja [Rat], Heaven), Buddhism (Chuk [Ox], Earth), and Seon (In [Tiger], Humanity).94)

道傳於夜天開於子轍環天下虛靈

敎奉於晨地闢於丑不信看我足知覺

德布於世人起於寅腹中八十年神明95)

The view of the Earthly Realm in Daesoon Thought is the actual implementation of this Confucian, Buddhist, and Seon (Daoist) view of the Earthly Realm upon the Earth. The Earth, where Sinmyeong (Divine Beings) can be enshrined, is also revitalized like Heaven, and just as the celestial phenomena are realigned, so too is the Earth. The view of the Earthly Realm in Daesoon Thought originates from the Sam-sin-san (Three Divine Mountains), is rectified at the parent mountains of Hoemun-san and Moak-san, and the Hyeol (acupoints/nodes) of the San-wang (Mountain King) and Hae-wang (Sea King) are aligned.

First, in the case of Sam-sin-san, it is a representative place name showing that ancient Daoist thought—namely Sinseon-sasang (Immortalism) and Pungryu-sasang (Way of Elegance)—arose centered around Jeongeup, the starting point of Daesoon Thought. Jeongeup is also the place where the Donghak Peasant Movement occurred. Jeongeup is near the location of the Sam-sin-san which were said to have sunk into the Balhae (Bohai) Sea, and among the Sam-sin-san across the country, the Sam-sin-san of Jeongeup is uniquely well-known nationally.96) As suggested by prior research from scholars like Kim Sung-hwan and Jeong Jae-seo, Jeongeup may have been a stop on the journey of Seo Bok (Xu Fu, BC 255-?), who represented Sinseon-sasang (Immortalism) during the Qin-Han period, in his search for the elixir of immortality. If Sam-sin-san is the land where the Gucheon (Ninth Heaven) can respond, then the Parent Mountains are the site that can correspond to the Cheonjisinmyeong (Divine Beings of Heaven and Earth) created by the Gucheon.97)

Sangje conducted works to extract the Jeong-gi (essential energy) from various places. To extract and combine the Jeong-gi of the mountains and rivers, He began the work with the Jeong-gi of the Bumo-san (Parent Mountains). "The Bumo-san are Moak-san (Mt. Moak) in Jeonju and Hoemun-san (Mt. Hoemun) in Sunchang. On Hoemun-san, there are twenty-four Hyeol (acupoints/nodes), among which is the Oseon-wigi-hyeong (Formation of Five Immortals Playing Go); the game of Gi-byeon (Go strategy) was created by Dang-Yo (Emperor Yao) to teach Danju (Danzhu), therefore, the Haewon (Resolution of Grievances) of Danju will begin from the Oseon-wigi, and the Great Un (Fortune/Destiny) will open and unfold. Next, the Jeong-gi (essential energy) of the four Myeongdang (Propitious Sites) must be synthesized. The four Myeongdang are the Oseon-wigi-hyeong (Formation of Five Immortals Playing Go) on Hoemun-san in Sunchang, the Hoseung-yebul-hyeong (Formation of a Barbarian Monk Bowing to Buddha) on Seungdal-san in Muan, the Seonnyeo-jikgeum-hyeong (Formation of an Immortal Maiden Weaving Silk) at Son-ryong in Jangseong, and the Gunsin-bongjo-hyeong (Formation of Subjects Receiving a Royal Mandate) at Baerye-bat in Taein. Furthermore, there are twenty-four Hyeol on Byeon-san in Buan; this corresponds to the number of Hyeol on Hoemun-san and, being located by the sea, it responds to the Dosu (Order/Degree) of the Hae-wang (Sea King). Hoemun-san is the San-gun (Mountain Lord) and Byeon-san is the Hae-wang (Sea King)," He said, and Sangje extracted their Jeong-gi.98)

Hoemun-san, corresponding to the 'father' among the Parent Mountains which can be called the origin of the Earth's Yin and Yang, is also the location of the Oseon-wigi-hyeol, where world peace begins in Daesoon Thought. Whereas conventional Pungsu-jiri (Geomancy/Feng Shui) deals with microcosmic matters such as family affairs or state affairs, the Pungsu-jiri of Daesoon Thought relates macrocosmically to Cheonhasa (Affairs of the World).

Again, Sangje had Jang-geun brew a crock of Sikhye (sweet rice drink), and during the first watch of the night, He placed the Sikhye in a large bowl under the Ingyeong (temple bell), saying, "This is to attach the Haewon-dosu (Order of Resolution of Grievances) of Danju (Danzhu), the progenitor of Go, to the Oseon-wigi-hyeol on Hoemun-san to turn the tide of Joseon's national destiny. Among the five immortals, one immortal is the host and merely looks on, while the other four immortals set up the board and form teams, trying to capture each other's stones. Because the game is delayed and the outcome cannot be decided, I am now inviting Choe Su-un to serve as a witness and determine the result; this Sikhye is to treat Su-un." He then asked, "Do you know the phrases in the literary collections you possess?" Several people replied, "We remember some passages." Sangje wrote on white paper, "Geolgungut, Chorani-pae, Namsadang, Yeosadang, Samdaechi," and said, "These words are the Jumun (incantation). Be careful, for anyone who laughs while reciting it will die." He added, "These words have a melody; if you recite it out of tune, the immortals will laugh." Sangje personally attached a melody and recited it, having the followers recite along, whereupon a cold energy soon began to circulate. Sangje stopped the recitation and said, "Choe Su-un has arrived, so listen quietly." Suddenly, a voice was heard from above the Ingyeong (temple bell), crying out, "If the head of the household were solemn, why would such an appearance exist?" He then asked, "Where are these words found?" A follower replied, "They are in the Su-un Gasa (Songs of Su-un)." Sangje then spoke two or three phrases toward the Ingyeong, conversing unintelligibly.99)

If Hoemun-san is the father mountain and the place where the Oseon-wigi—the beginning of world peace—will start, then Moak-san, which can be called the origin of the Earth's Yin and Yang, corresponds to the 'mother' among the parent divinities, and it is where Geumsan-sa (Geumsan Temple) is located, where Jeungsan resided as a Sinmyeong (Divine Being) for thirty years.

When some disciples followed Sangje to Golden Mountain Temple (Geumsan-sa), He recited a passage: After the Heaven Emperor, the Earth Emperor, and the Human Emperor, there will be the great Golden Mountain in the world. At the foot of Mount Mother (Moak-san), a golden icon of Maitreya has the ability to speak. The sixteen-foot-high golden icon becomes a perfected woman (jeon nyeo 全女). The solutions of saving ten thousand nations belong to South Joseon (Korea), and a lucid breeze and bright moon embrace Golden Mountain Temple [萬國活計南朝鮮淸風明月金山寺]. The blooming civilization shall shed light on three thousand nations, and the arts of the Dao shall stretch outwardly for ninety thousand ri [文明開花三千國道術運通九萬里]. 100)

In the passage above, "Beneath Moak-san, the Geumbul (Golden Buddha) can speak" signifies that the advent of the Gucheon (Ninth Heaven) at Geumsan-sa was anticipated. Comparing Donghak's view of Earth and Daesoon's view of the Earthly Realm, in Daesoon Thought, the role of the Earth is magnified, and the aspects of liminality are strengthened due to the expansion of correlative thinking compared to Donghak Thought. Representatively, 'burning the earth three ja and three chi deep' to strengthen the Earth's Gi (energy) is accomplished through the Jigi-tongil-gongsa (Work of Unifying the Earth's Gi) performed by Jeungsan to expand revitalization.

In the Later World, once a seed is planted, new sprouts will emerge from the root every year for harvest, and the land will become fertile soil even without cultivation. This is because the earth is burned three ja (feet) and three chi (inches) deep.101)

In the passage above, the reason for burning the earth 'three ja and three chi deep' illustrates the creation of an Earthly Paradise by elevating the status of the land to fertile soil. "Three ja and three chi" is the range traditionally considered by Jigwan (geomancers) as the scope of the Earth's energy's influence. It is said that the Cheon-gi (Celestial energy) extends ninety thousand li (leagues), which corresponds to modern-day satellite orbits.

A characteristic of the view of the Earthly Realm in Daesoon Thought is said to be a religious perspective of "Earthly-ism" (Jisang-juui), focusing on an Earthly Paradise rather than an apocalypse. 'Earthly-ism' signifies the impetus for rearranging the boundary between the sacred and the secular.102) Cha Seon-geun discusses the relationship between Naejeong (Inner Court) and Yeongdae (Spirit Đài) in conjunction with Daoism.103) In Daesoon Thought, the view of the Earthly Realm, along with Pungsu-jiri (geomancy), holds significant importance.

In the case of the view of the Earthly Realm, the Parent Mountains and the 24 Hyeol-cheo (acupoint sites) are realigned. Centered on the Parent Mountains, Moak-san and Hoemun-san, and Naejang-san, the source mountain of the world, the 24 Hyeol (nodes) of the San-gun (Mountain Lord) and Hae-wang (Sea King) are realigned.

The center of the Jigi-tongil-gongsa (Work of Unifying the Earth's Gi) is Hoemun-san and Moak-san. The works concerning the Parent Mountains, Hoemun-san and Moak-san, the Sam-sin-san of Jeolla Province, the Unhoe-gongsa (Work of Converging Destinies) for the Outer Three Divine Mountains—Jirisan (Mt. Jiri), Geumgangsan (Mt. Geumgang), and Hallasan (Mt. Halla)—and the work concerning the 24 Hyeol (nodes) of the San-gun (Mountain Lord) and Hae-wang (Sea King) form the core of the Jigye-gongsa (Work of the Earthly Realm). Through the Cheonjigongsa (Work of Renewing Heaven and Earth), the Celestial Realm is aligned, and the relationship between Heaven and Humanity is revitalized from the Johwa (harmony/creation) relationship of Donghak Thought into an advanced Sangsaeng (Mutual Beneficence) relationship. Through the Insin-gangse (Advent of the Divine in Human Form), the status of humanity as the mediator of the Cheon-Won-Ji-Bang (Heaven is Round, Earth is Square) relationship between Heaven and Earth is revitalized, and the Cheonjigongsa (Work of Renewing Heaven and Earth) transforms the Sanggeuk (Mutual Conflict) relationship between Earth and Humanity in both East and West into Sangsaeng (Mutual Beneficence). While the views of Earth in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon (Daoism) are constituted individually, the view of the Earthly Realm in Daesoon Thought is presented as integrated through the 12 Unseong.

The Revitalization of the Western View of Earth Manifested in the View of the Earthly Realm based on Cheonji-Seong-Gyeong-Sin

The Western worldview is a substantialist worldview. The Earth of which the West speaks is not, as in the East, a being that resonates with Heaven and participates in the fostering work of Heaven and Earth. It is merely a material substance to which the form of Heaven is applied, or an object that is made according to Heaven's form and is dominated and managed by humans. Thus, unlike the Eastern Earth filled with divine beings, the Western Earth was an object utilized for human convenience. The Canonical Scripture (Jeongyeong) expresses this in terms of 'the convenience of all creatures.'

One day, Sangje said to Gyeong-seok, "Before, you followed my words, but today I will follow your words to decide the Gongsaregarding this matter, so think carefully and answer as I ask." He then asked again, "Is it right to leave the instruments of civilization invented by Westerners as they are, or is it right to remove them?" Gyeong-seok replied, "I believe leaving them as they are and using them will be convenient for the masses." Saying his words were correct, He added, "Their machines are modeled after those of heaven." After asking several other things, Sangje finalized the Gongsa.105)

The passage above shows a comprehensive characterization of the view of the earthly realm in Western modernity. First, the phrase 'the instruments of civilization invented by Westerners' shows that the characteristic of Western modernity with respect to Earth lies in the instruments of civilization. Historically, the instruments of civilization were the symbol that comprehensively represented Western modernity. The Western instruments of civilization, represented by guns, swords, and trains, reflect the post-modern (atomistic) Western views of Heaven, Earth, and humanity that shifted to atomism after the modern era.

Descartes' proposition "Cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I am)," though a short phrase, comprehensively implies the changed Western view of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Although Western modernity began with Calvin's predestination, the attribute-oriented Eastern worldview introduced after Matteo Ricci led to the denial of even the monotheistic God, which was the only remaining element in the substance-based Western worldview centered on God, and posed the challenge of finding a new substance to replace the monotheistic God in a world where God had disappeared. The most prominent response to this was Descartes' proposition, "Cogito ergo sum."

The core of constructivism, which represents Western modernity, was that since the monotheistic God had disappeared, the only thing that could be trusted was the fact "I think," and therefore, all views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity should be reconstructed upon "Cogito ergo sum." Although there were opposing views to Descartes, such as Spinoza's pantheism (the entire universe is God) or Leibniz's monadology (existence is like gi), Descartes' constructivism, passing through Kant, established itself as the modern Western view of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, and particularly accelerated its practice in the view of Earth.

After modernity, to the West, the Earth was nothing more than a combination of matter composed of atoms, and the role of humanity was to create instruments of civilization by utilizing the characteristics of atoms. The paradox is that the laws of atoms also followed the principles of the view of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, but such claims were concealed. Now, humans became beings of instrumental reason who create instruments of civilization, and only Westerners became humans possessing instrumental reason. However, the excerpt above states that these instruments of civilization were the result of the opening of the boundary between Heaven and the subterranean world by Matteo Ricci, through which heavenly civilization was transmitted to the subterranean divine beings, who then unfolded it for humanity.106) Consequently, the old Heaven was transformed into a Heaven that kills humans.107)

Although Western modernity was a dangerous modernity that only advanced without retreat, and a modernity that was self-destructing in arrogance, ignorant of the grace of divine beings, the excerpt above also highly evaluates the value of Western modernity in terms of "convenience for the masses." In this passage, "masses" (changsaeng) refers to those beings who live their daily lives without achieving Dotong (unification with the Dao) in the Later World. Because they have not achieved Dotong, instruments of civilization are indeed convenient means for carrying out daily life. Although Western modernity excluded divine beings, its achievement of development for the convenience of the masses was due to the Earth's energy (gi) of the West; therefore, it could be highly evaluated in the Gaebyeok (Great Opening) where the strengths of each civilization are integrated.108)

From the excerpt above, we can confirm that Gucheon (the Ninth Heaven) in Daesoon Thought evaluates Western modernity ambivalently. The fact that Gucheon evaluates Western modernity ambivalently leaves room to suggest that Gucheon intentionally aimed for Western modernity. In fact, Gucheon in Daesoon Thought strongly emphasizes the importance of material civilization, much like Western modernity.

Sangje said, “Do not learn the art of using power, because hundreds of tons of weight shall be carried by trains or ships. Do not learn the art of shortening distances. By controlling the wind in a cloud chariot, you shall be able to move 10,000 ri in a moment.” 109)

The excerpt above shows that the convenience of the masses surpasses the Dosul (spiritual arts) of the Former World. Daesoon Thought emphasizes not to confuse Daesoon Thought with the Dosul of the Former World. Daesoon Thought, like Donghak Thought, is a truth not found in previously emerged systems of truth, and thus advises against learning the Dosul of the Former World.

When the water energy (sugi) circulates in Heaven and Earth, people of all nations will be able to communicate without learning each other's languages; when the water energy circulates, there will be a cracking sound.110)

This implies that the scope of civilization spoken of in Daesoon Thought includes not only concrete things like trains and steamships but also abstract concepts like language. It means that the technological advancements being realized today, more than 100 years after the Cheonjigongsa (Reordering of Heaven and Earth) began, were predicted at that time.

111)

The excerpt above shows that the scope of modernity spoken of in Daesoon Thought is a much broader and more long-term perspective of modernity that includes Western modernity. Furthermore, the mention of the origins of civilization found in the Sagi (Records of the Grand Historian)—the Celestial Emperor, Earthly Emperor, and Human Emperor—shows that modernity is, in fact, connected to tradition.

"Establishing schools widely in this world to teach people is intended to greatly civilize the world and attach it to the history of the Three Realms to resolve the grievances (haewon) of divine beings and humans, but the current school education causes learners to fall into only base utilitarianism, such as government posts and salaries; therefore, I have brought about the attainment of the Dao outside the established framework," He concluded.112)

The excerpt above indicates that Western modernity, contrary to its original purpose when the cultural destiny (munun) of the West was opened by Matteo Ricci, failed to fulfill its original intent due to humans using it only for profit. Afterward, the West denied and neglected divine beings and failed to fulfill the original purpose, but its merit of promoting the convenience of the masses is acknowledged.

The fact that Western civilization came to promote the convenience of the masses is shown to be an effect of the Earth's energy. However, differences in the Earth's energy can cause not only the development of different cultures but also mutual antagonism, so it is said that mutual development can be pursued through the Gongsa that unifies the Earth's energy (jigi).

The influence of different Earth energies shown in the excerpt above appears not only in culture but also in the realm of religion. In the realm of religion, religion can combine with the Earth's energy and contribute to cultural development. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism (Yubulseon) can also form a triple combination.

One day in the fourth lunar month, while conducting a Gongsa at Kim Bo-gyeong's house, Sangje spread out four sheets of white paper and wrote "Cheongok (Spring Valley)" on each corner. When Chi-bok inquired about its meaning, Sangje taught him, "It is the name of a won (a type of lodge or inn) where ancestral rites were discontinued long ago." He then had Chi-bok and Song-hwan hold the written papers facing each other and remarked, "Its shape is like a hobangsan (a large ceremonial umbrella) of a funeral bier."

Then, Gap-chil, following Sangje's command, went outside and returned to report a speck of cloud in the western sky. Commanded again, he went out, looked at the sky, returned, and reported that the single speck of cloud had covered the entire sky. Sangje then wrote Samyeongdang (Four Bright Halls) in the center of a sheet of white paper and said to Chi-bok, "The saying 'Samyeongdang is reborn' in the Gung-eul-ga (Song of Gung-eul) does not refer to the monk Samyeongdang, but to Samyeongdang written with the character myeong (bright). Because harmony (johwa) resides in the Buddhist Dharma, it corresponds to the Hoseung-yebul-hyeol (the auspicious site of a foreign monk bowing to Buddha). Long life without illness resides in the Daoist arts (seonsul), so it corresponds to the Oseon-wigi-hyeol (the auspicious site of five immortals playing Go). National peace and public well-being correspond to the Gunsin-bongjo-hyeol (the auspicious site of lords and vassals receiving a royal edict). Through the Seonnyeo-jikgeum-hyeol (the auspicious site of an immortal woman weaving silk), I will clothe the masses in silk. I will perform the Gongsa after holding the ancestral rite for Sinnongssi (the Divine Farmer) on the fifteenth day of the sixth lunar month. This year is the gateway (hanmun) of Heaven and Earth. If I do not perform the work now, the work cannot be achieved."

The excerpt above shows that the foundation of each civilization, represented by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, was in the Earth's energy, and that each land represented the will of Heaven. In the excerpt above, the part presumed to be related to Seohak (Western Learning) is the Seonnyeo-jikgeum-hyeol (auspicious site of an immortal woman weaving silk), which also emphasizes the convenience of the masses by stating it will "clothe the masses in silk."

The shift in perception regarding Gucheon (the Ninth Heaven) has always been a key point in modernity. In Donghak Thought, the concept of Cheonoecheon (Heaven beyond Heaven) appears for the first time in Eastern thought; however, in the West, which had a foundational culture that regarded Cheonoecheon as the concept of Heaven, the view of Earth also had more substantial attributes compared to the Eastern view of Earth, which responds (gameung) to Heaven. Regarding the practical nature of the Western view of Earth, the content concerning the convenience of the masses is represented by the phrase "clothing the masses in silk" (geum-ui-changsaeng). Daesoon Thought revitalizes the Eastern and Western views of Earth through the Jigi-tongil-gongsa (Gongsa for the Unification of Earth's Energy).

Revitalization of the East-West Heaven-Earth Relationship in the Earthly Heaven (地上天國)

Regarding the discourse on the Earthly Paradise, two characteristics appear in Daesoon Thought. The first is that it clarifies the theoretical background of the Earthly Paradise, and the second is that it shows the phenomena of the Earthly Paradise.

First, Daesoon Thought's clarification of the principle of the Earthly Paradise is that this principle is realized according to the principle of Eumyang-hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang). In Daesoon Thought, the Heaven-Earth relationship becomes a system that nurtures all things (simnamansang) through the interaction of the divine beings of Heaven and Earth, according to the Heaven-Earth constitutive principle of Cheonwon-jibang (Heaven is round, Earth is square). Heaven and Earth are each responsible for only one part, Yin or Yang, and are beings that can only succeed with human Dotong (unification with the Dao), aiming for the nurture of the Dotong-gunja (person of Dao and virtue). Heaven, having the nature of Hon (spirit-soul), plans without form, thus performing the roles of Won (roundness), Mun (patterns/culture), and Do (Dao), which possess the nature of Hon, as seen in Cheonwon-jibang (Heaven is round, Earth is square), Cheonmun-jiri (astronomy and geography), and Cheondo-jideok (Heaven's Dao and Earth's virtue). On the other hand, Earth, having the nature of Baek (physical-soul), has form and executes, thus performing the roles of Bang (squareness), I (principle/order), and Deok (virtue), which possess the nature of Baek, as seen in Cheonwon-jibang, Cheonmun-jiri, and Cheondo-jideok. In the jumun (incantations) of Daesoon Thought, the divine beings who carry out the 28 constellations (su) and 24 seasonal divisions (jeolhu) of Heaven and Earth, the harmony (johwa) of Heaven and Earth, the eight gates (palmun) of Heaven and Earth, and the transformations (dungap) of Heaven and Earth appear systematically.

Traditionally, the Earthly Paradise was understood only as a hopeful desire existing in the imagination. Daesoon Thought, facing the emergence of the unfamiliar "Other," the West, interpreted the relationship between East and West using the principle of Yin-Yang, thereby establishing a turning point for an indigenous understanding of the West. Similarly, by applying the principle of Yin-Yang to the Earthly Paradise, it enabled an Eastern understanding of the meaning of the Earthly Paradise that was being advanced by the West.

Aims (Objectives)

Guarding against self-deception (mujagi 無自欺) / Re-creation of the inner-spirit (jeongsin-gaebyeok 精神開闢)

Realizing earthly immortality (jisang-sinseon-silhyeon 地上神仙實現) / Renovation of human beings (ingan-gaejo 人間改造)

Creating an earthly paradise (jisang-cheonguk-geonseol 地上天國建設) / Re-creation of the world (segye-gaebyeok 世界開闢) 115)

The excerpt above is the part explained as the "Aims" when Doju (Successor of the Dao) Jo Jeong-san clarified the tenets, aims, and creed of Daesoon Thought in 1925 (the Eulchuk year) after enshrining Gucheon as Gucheon-eungwon-noeseong-bohwa-cheonjon-sangje (Sangje, the All-Governing Primal Deity of the Ninth Heaven, Who Responds to All Entities with the Sound of Thunder and Universally Transforms All Beings). Although there were many researchers of Jeungsan's thought at the time, Doju Jo Jeong-san was the first to clearly distinguish Daesoon Thought into tenets, aims, and creed.

In the passage above, 'aim' is the part that specifies the intention behind the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth and the many deeds of Jeungsan. The 'creation of an earthly paradise,' expressed in the passage as 're-creation of the world (segye-gaebyeok),' shows that the earthly paradise is understood at the level of the Great Opening (gaebyeok), namely the virtuous concordance of yin and yang (eumyang-hapdeok).

Next, looking at the second aspect, the phenomena of the Earthly Paradise, Daesoon Thought explains the state of the Earthly Paradise through its underlying principles (Ichi).

The excerpt above is a passage describing the Earth in the Earthly Paradise of the Later World. In the Later World's Earth, crops grow by themselves even without planting seeds. The Earth, whose status has been elevated like Heaven according to the principle of Eumyang-hapdeok, corresponds to Heaven in its function as well. Meanwhile, the place where the Dotong-sinmyeong (divine beings of Dotong), who will join the Dotong-gunja leading the Later World, exist is also Geumgangsan (Diamond Mountain), considered the most beautiful place on Earth.

Sangje, referring to a well at Dao Prosperity Hill Path (Dochang-hyeon) of Great Benevolence (Taein) County, said, “This is a spring of milk. And as the Dao shall dwell in the 12,000 peaks of Geumgang Mountain, the same number of sages who were enlightened to the Dao will be born into the world. Yet, in the Later world, women shall outnumber men among the sages.” And He added, “In the upper area, is Dao Prosperity (Dochang 道昌), in the middle, is Great Benevolence (Taein 泰仁), and in the lower, is Great Awakening (Daegak 大覺).”

117)

The Earthly Paradise was actualized by the incarnation of Jeungsan, but since the Earthly Paradise was an intended principle from the time Heaven and Earth were created, it had been continuously pursued even before his incarnation. In Western religions, heaven and earth were generally separated, but as seen in examples like Silla's Bulgukto (Buddha Land) and the Hwarang (warrior youth group), integration was continuously pursued in the East.

In Daesoon Thought, the realization of the Earthly Paradise is shown to be through the education of humanity, as revealed in the "Jeongyo" (Transmission of Teachings), by the sages who appeared in the world and the propagation of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism over a history of about 4,600 years. The Jeon-gyeong describes the Earthly Paradise of the Later World, where Heaven and Earth succeed through the Eumyang-hapdeok of Heaven and Earth and the Sin-in-johwa (Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings) of humans and divine beings, as follows:

Furthermore, in the Later World, the entire world will become one family, and the masses will be governed according to principles (beopri) through harmony (johwa), without the use of intimidation or punishment. Those who hold office will have their authority (hwagwon) opened, so they will not act beyond their station, and the populace will be free from all afflictions of grievance, resentment, greed, and lewdness. They will be spared the suffering of sickness and the ritual of death and burial, achieving agelessness and immortality (bullobulsa). There will be no distinction between rich and poor, and they will travel freely. The sky will be low, allowing ascent and descent at will. Their wisdom will brighten, allowing them to comprehend the past, present, future, and all directions of the world. The Three Disasters (samjae) of water, fire, and wind will vanish from the world, and it will transform into an Earthly Paradise (jisang-seongyeong) where auspicious signs abound.118)

In the excerpt above, the Later World presupposes that Heaven and Earth are harmonized by humans, thus showing that human education and human transformation are prerequisites. As such, the Earthly Paradise of Daesoon Thought is realized based on very detailed logic within a long history.

Furthermore, in Daesoon Thought, along with the principles, three historical events related to the Earthly Paradise are noteworthy. In the Jeon-gyeong, the figures who earnestly pursued the Earthly Paradise are Emperor Yao, Matteo Ricci, and Great Master Jinmuk. In Daesoon Thought, the first person who attempted to construct the Earthly Paradise through Eumyang-hapdeok was Emperor Yao.

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month of the Jeongmi year, Sangje visited Shin Gyeong-su at his house. Sangje spoke about Yao's "observing the sun, moon, and stars, and respectfully bestowing the seasons upon the people" (yeoksang ilwolseongsin gyeongsuinsi), saying, "Heaven and Earth, without the sun and moon, are an empty shell; the sun and moon, without a person of wisdom (ji-in), are an empty shadow. Because Dang Yao (Emperor Yao) discerned the laws of the sun and moon and taught them to the people, the grace of Heaven and the principles of Earth were finally bestowed upon humanity." At this time, Sangje taught, "The sun and moon govern all things without selfishness; the rivers and mountains have the Dao and receive hundreds of practices (日月無私治萬物江山有道受百行)," and He composed the Five Mantras (Oju), calling them the "Essence (Jinaek) of Heaven and Earth," and the Five Mantras are as follows.

新天地家家長歲日月日月萬事知

侍天主造化定永世不忘萬事知

福祿誠敬信壽命誠敬信至氣今至願爲大降

明德觀音八陰八陽至氣今至願爲大降

三界解魔大帝神位願趁天尊關聖帝君119)

In the excerpt above, Daesoon Thought evaluates that Emperor Yao (Deyao Taotangssi, BC 2324–BC 2255) opened the path to the earthly paradise by teaching humanity the grace of Heaven, which is the law of the sun and moon—that is, the principle of time—and the corresponding principles of the Earth.

Next, the figures who sought to realize the earthly paradise of Daesoon Thought in the period near the modern era are Matteo Ricci and Great Master Jinmuk (1562-1633). In Daesoon Thought, Matteo Ricci's Eastern mission is highly regarded as an effort by Seohak (Western Learning) to establish an earthly paradise. Although Seohak's heaven (Cheondang) was emphasized as existing in the afterlife, Daesoon Thought assesses that the true value of Seohak lay in the construction of an earthly paradise. Other figures who sought to find the earthly paradise even before Matteo Ricci are re-examined in Daesoon Thought. Among these figures are Sinrongssi (Emperor Yan Shennong), Gangtaegong (Jiang Shang, B.C. 1211-1072), Gwanunjang (Guan Yu, ?-21), and Shakyamuni.120)

Matteo Ricci's attempt at an earthly paradise was frustrated by the entrenched customs of Confucianism. However, instead, the boundary between East and West was opened, and the civilization deities of the East crossed over to the West to participate in the construction of the Western earthly paradise. But this opening, occurring while grievances remained unresolved due to human arrogance, instead led to the derangement of the Three Realms.

Another figure who strives for the construction of the earthly paradise in Daesoon Thought is Great Master Jinmuk. Great Master Jinmuk, who was the protagonist of miracles and legends to the extent of being called a living Buddha during the mid-Joseon period, ascended to the heavens to learn all sorts of wondrous laws and intended to bestow them upon the human world, but this, too, was thwarted by the slander of the Confucian scholar Kim Bong-gok.

After the failure of Donghak, the situation of the East (Dongyang) was at a critical juncture (baekcheokgandu), its very survival hanging by a thread, but following the Cheonjigongsa (Reordering of the Universe), it seized the Russo-Japanese War as an opportunity for revival, which continues to this day. The relationship between East and West, where the East was once ahead, was reversed after Matteo Ricci and Great Master Jinmuk, and the East, facing a crisis of annihilation, was revived. After the Cheonjigongsa, the exchange between East and West intensified, and a culture combining the strengths of both East and West has been established over 150 years.

The Indigenous Modernity of the View of the Human Realm (Ingyegwan) as "Achievement Depends on Humanity" (Seongsa Jaein)

The View of Humanity (Ingangwan) as the View of the Human Realm (Ingyegwan)

The establishment of the Daesoon Thought's view of the human realm begins with the incarnation of Gucheon (Ninth Heaven); the incarnation of Gucheon as a substantial entity is clearly revealed in the term "Gangseong Sangje" (Sangje of the Gang [Kang] surname) found in the divine title of Gucheon.

Gangseong Sangje (姜聖上帝) means

It signifies the honorific title of the omniscient and omnipotent God who, with the supreme authority over the Three Realms (Samgye Daegwon), presides over and commands all things in the universe (Samramansang), observing and overseeing all heavens (Gwangammancheon).

"Gangseong Sangje" reveals that Gucheon incarnated by adding the surname of the human realm (Gang) to the divine title. Due to the incarnation of Gucheon, the view of the human realm is newly formed. After the incarnation, the divine beings (Sinmyeong) who operated heaven and earth begin to seek out humans with whom to share the apportionment of destiny (Unsu). Before the incarnation, humans sought the divine beings, but after the incarnation, the divine beings seek humans.

When Bak Gong-u came to Guritgol after arguing with his wife, Sangje suddenly rebuked him, saying, "If I am virulent, I possess all the virulence in the world, and if I am good, I possess all the good in the world. How dare you commit such an untruthful act while in my presence? Now, the divine beings of heaven and earth will seek the apportionment of destiny, visiting each person and each household to test their capacity (Giguk). If one's disposition is not generous and the harmony of the home is lost, the divine beings will mock them, deeming their capacity unfit to be entrusted with great tasks, and they will lead each other away; therefore, how could those who have set their minds on this work dare to be negligent in their thoughts even for a moment?"121)

The "apportionment of destiny" (Unsujari) refers to the people and households with whom the divine beings will join in the Later World, according to the principle of the virtuous concordance of Yin and Yang. Through the incarnation of Gucheon, the status of humanity is elevated. In Daesoon Thought, divine beings and humans are distinguished by the boundary of life and death; when a human dies, they become a divine being, and when a divine being is born, they become a human.

When Kim Song-hwan inquired about matters after death, Sangje said, "Humans have a Hon (spirit-soul) and a Baek (body-soul); when a person dies, the Hon ascends to heaven and becomes a Sin (divinity), receiving ancestral rites from descendants, and after four generations pass, it becomes a Yeong (spirit) or a Seon (immortal). The Baek returns to the earth, and after four generations pass, it becomes a Gwi (ghost)."122)

Divine beings and humans change their forms by themselves through life and death. In other words, a human is a divine being possessing the form of a body, and when a human sheds that form through death, they become a divine being. However, a human who has cultivated the Dao has their Jeong (essence) and Hon (spirit-soul) combined and solidified, so even in death, the Hon does not scatter and can ascend to the heavens; but for a human who has not cultivated, their spirit-soul fades away like dissipating smoke.

For one who has cultivated the Dao, their Jeonghon (essence-soul) is firmly consolidated, so even in death, it does not scatter and ascends to the heavens; whereas for one who has not, their Jeonghon is faint and will dissipate like smoke or a bubble.123)

In the excerpt above, "Jeonghon" (essence-soul) differs from Hon (spirit-soul) because Jeonghon is the combination of Jeong (essence), which is the material aspect among the Jeong-Gi-Sin (Essence, Energy, Spirit) in the body, and Hon, which is the spiritual aspect; therefore, Jeonghon is a soul that humans possess only while alive. The level of this Jeonghon is determined by the degree of a human's cultivation (Sudo). Consequently, divine beings and humans can form a Yin-Yang relationship.

神有人神陰人陽, … […] 神人以陰陽成造化 … […] 神人和而萬事成神人合而百工成神明竢人人竢神明陰陽相合神人相通然後天道成而地道成神事成而人事成人事成而神事成 124)

There is the divine (Shin) and there is the human; the divine is yin and the human is yang. …

The divine and the human work creative transformation (johwa) through yin and yang. …

Only when God and Man are in harmony can all affairs (Mansa) be achieved,

Only when God and Man cooperate can the hundred endeavors (Baekgong) be achieved.

God awaits (desires) Man, and Man awaits (desires) God.

Only after Yin and Yang mutually unite and God and Man mutually commune,

does the Dao of Heaven become complete and the Dao of Earth become complete.

Only when the work of God is achieved can the work of Man be achieved,

and only when the work of Man is achieved can the work of God be achieved.125)

In the excerpt above, the reason God and Man depend on and guide each other is that humans, having bodies, can affect change in the earthly world but cannot know the unseen realms, whereas divine beings can see the unseen realms but cannot affect change in the earthly world. When the Heaven above heavens cultivates (Hwayuk) heaven and earth, it distinguishes between divine beings and humans and has them interact because humans, having bodies, can become adept in all areas through effort but cannot excel in one specific field; whereas divine beings, lacking bodies, can excel in one specific field but, lacking bodies, cannot become adept in all areas. However, the divine beings of the human realm and the divine beings of heaven and earth are distinguished.

The excerpt above shows that in Daesoon Thought, the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity are a system of divine beings (Sinmyeong) comprising the Heaven Realm, Earth Realm, and Human Realm, all filled with divine beings. This shows that the God-Human relationship in Daesoon Thought is composed of organic humans and mechanistic divine beings, and this relationship is reflected in Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Therefore, Gucheon presents the law of Sinin Uido (mutual guidance and dependence between divine beings and humans) as the prescription for the derangement of the Three Realms. Its core is that after the Samgye Daesun (Great Itineration of the Three Realms), which diagnoses the problems of the world following the incarnation, 'Gods' and 'Humans' help each other to change the world.

With the principle (Ibeop) of Sinin Uido, He concluded the Cheonjigongsa (Reordering of the Universe) with Boeun (Grateful Reciprocation), focusing primarily on Haewon (Resolution of Grievances).127)

In the Samjae (Three Powers) theory, humans appear as mediators who mediate the communication between Heaven and Earth. The difference between the view of the human realm (Ingyegwan) and the view of humanity (Ingangwan) is that in the former, events are logically connected according to the systemic nature of the "realm" (Gye). While the Samjae view of humanity focuses on individual decision-making, the Samgye view of the human realm emphasizes a systemic character. Therefore, the mediating and grafting functions that humans possess also manifest systematically.

For over 100 years since the modern era, the East and the West have held ambivalent feelings for each other, known as Orientalism and Occidentalism; the West mystified the East to justify its domination, and the East mystified the West to justify the abandonment of its own identity. The forgetting of the Eastern origins of Western modern civilization for over 100 years makes Eastern people today unable to believe that the origin of Western modernity was the East. The Eastern views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, in a state of crisis, came to await the emergence of new views of the Heaven Realm, Earth Realm, and Human Realm.

The View of the Human Realm (Ingyegwan) as "Achievement Depends on Humanity" (Seongsa Jaein)

The difference between before and after the advent of Gucheon is prominent in the reversal of the relationship between divine beings and humans. Humans, who had always served the divine beings, reached a stage in the modern era of challenging and even denying God; however, the incarnation of Sangje finally provided the opportunity for the divine beings to acknowledge humans and achieve cooperation with them.

"Jungchalinsa (investigating human affairs) signifies Dotong (unification with the Dao), and this means that in the future, humans will possess all rights and everything whatsoever. Therefore, humans become the highest. ... (omitted) In the past, it was the Cheonjon Sidae (Era of Heaven's Supremacy) as Sinbong-eocheon (divinity enshrined in Heaven), where Heaven held and exercised all authority; currently, it is the Jijon Sidae (Era of Earth's Supremacy) as Sinbong-eoji (divinity enshrined in Earth), where the Earth holds and exercises it. Although the Jijon Sidae is now said to be over, the reason people still depend on the earth—such as checking directions when moving or selecting grave sites—is because the earth holds the authority. In the future, it will be Sinbong-eoin (divinity enshrined in Humans), and humans will take charge of this authority." "Dojun-nim Hunsi" (Address by Dojun-nim) (April 12, 1989)128)

From the excerpt above, we can understand that the reason the power of the Earth, such as in Pungsujiri (Geomancy), was emphasized as much as Heaven in the East—unlike in the West—was the belief that divine beings were enshrined in the Earth. Furthermore, we can see that the incarnation of Sangje is a great opportunity to enshrine in humans the divine beings that were enshrined in the Earth. Humans, who feared the sins and punishments of the divine beings, are elevated to a status equal to that of the divine beings through the incarnation.

The greatest change among the shifts in the views of Earth and Humanity brought about by the incarnation of Gucheon was the resolution of the question, 'What is a human, and why do they exist?' Daesoon Thought presents the 'Mind' (Maeum) as the answer to the reason for human existence.

The mind is the master of the entire body (Ilsin), so all of a person's speech (Eoneo) and actions (Haengdong) are expressions of the mind. In that mind, there are two kinds: the good mind (Yangsim) and the selfish mind (Sasim). The good mind (Yangsim) is the original mind (Bonsim) according to one's heavenly nature (Cheonseong); the selfish mind (Sasim) is the greedy mind (Yoksim) that is activated by material desires (Muryok). Originally, the essence (Bonjil) of human nature (Inseong) is the good mind (Yangsim), but being captured by the selfish mind (Sasim), one comes to dare (Gamhaeng) speech and actions (Eondong) that go against moral principles (Dori); therefore, dedicate yourself (Jeonnyeom) to abandoning the selfish mind and reclaiming the good mind, which is the heavenly nature. The root (Geunwon) of all human (Ingan) sins (Joeak) arises from deceiving the mind; therefore, eradicate (Geunjeol) all (Ilche) sins with honesty (Jeongjik) and truthfulness (Jinsil), which are the essence (Bonjil) of human nature (Inseong).129)

In the excerpt above, the human mind is an existence that embraces heavenly nature. Just as it is said in the West that humans were made in the image of God, the human mind, in particular, is said to be able to commune with the mind of Heaven. Although the West surpassed the East for 100-some years of the modern era, the concept of 'Mind' (Maeum) still does not exist in Western humanities.

The 'Mind', regarded as the fundamental mechanism of cultivation (Suaeng) in Eastern tradition, is elevated in Daesoon Thought to the status of the catalyst by which the earthly paradise is realized after the incarnation of Gucheon. In Daesoon Thought, the mind is the treasure of heaven and earth; heaven and earth also operate according to the mind, and the incarnation of Gucheon also takes place.130) The reason divine beings are enshrined in humans is also because of the mind, and thus the mind was called the Yeongdae (Spirit Platform), the house of the soul.131) In Donghak Thought, "Jigi (Ultimate Energy)" is mentioned multiple times, but there is little mention of the mind that receives that "Jigi." The reason for human existence, revealed after the divine incarnation, is that humans possess a mind, enabling them to form the Three Powers (Samjae) equally with Heaven and Earth.

One day in the sixth lunar month, Shin Gyeong-won (辛京元) sent a person in haste from Taein to report the news that policemen were coming to his house daily asking for Sangje's whereabouts. Sangje saw the person and scolded him, "What matter caused a person coming on urgent business to tarry on the way and be late?" The person replied, "On the way, there was someone judging fortunes using the Danghwa Commentary on the I Ching, so I tarried for a moment; please forgive me." Sangje then immediately wrote a message, saying, "Give this message to Gyeong-won, and after he reads it, burn it immediately." The message was as follows.

天用雨露之薄則必有萬方之怨

地用水土之薄則必有萬物之怨

人用德化之薄則必有萬事之怨

天用地用人用統在於心

心也者鬼神之樞機也門戶也道路也

開閉樞機出入門戶往來道路神

或有善或有惡

善者師之惡者改之

吾心之樞機門戶道路大於天地132)

In the excerpt above, Heaven bestowing rain and dew and Earth using the virtue of water and soil depend on the mind. Heaven and Earth move as humans desire for their cultivation (Hwayuk), thus the Earth also follows the will of humans. The human mind becomes the passage and house through which divine beings come and go. According to the liminality principle of Ga-ilbaebeop (doubling method), some researchers predict many changes in the land during the transition from the Jijon Sidae (Era of Earth's Supremacy) to the Injon Sidae (Era of Humanity's Supremacy), passing through the Jijon Sidae before reaching the Injon Sidae. Because humans are beings with minds, the value of the mind is determined in the relationship of grace and grievance (Eunwongwangye), where the mind becomes substantial.133)

正吾之心氣立吾之義理求吾之心靈134)

The excerpt above, appearing at the end of the "Poyumun" (Edict of Enlightenment) which states the human mind is a treasure, shows that the value of the human mind is determined by one's everyday state of mind (Sim-gi) and sense of obligation (Uiri). Therefore, the earthly paradise arrives when humans resolve their grievances (Haewon), re-establishing the obligation and grateful reciprocation (Boeun) that had disappeared in a world diseased with immorality.

In particular, the Haewon-Boeun relationship between parents and children—that is, between ancestral spirits (Seollyeongsin) and descendants—is the key to the realization of the mind, and thus the realization of the earthly paradise. Whereas in the West, reason is the standard for all judgment, in the East, filial piety (Hyo) is the standard for judgment by the mind. In Daesoon Thought, filial piety also becomes the ultimate standard for the mind and for judgments of life and death.

At Daeheung-ri, Sangje took a thirty-page book of Western paper and wrote, "Baeeunmangdeok Mansasin Ilbunmyeong Ilyang Sisaeng (The divinity who betrays grace and forgets virtue deserves ten thousand deaths; when one part becomes clear, the One Yang begins to arise)" on each of the first fifteen pages, and "Jakji Buji Seongui Ungyak Ileum Sisaeng (He who works ceaselessly is a holy doctor and heroic medicine; the One Yin begins to arise)" on each of the last fifteen pages. He then placed cinnabar ground on a mirror and a plate, and said to Gwang-chan, "This matter determines the path of life and death, so think carefully and speak." Gwang-chan submitted, "Those who do not know how to serve their ancestral spirits will not be able to live." Sangje was silent, but after a short while, He said, "Your words are acceptable," and, wrapping the plate in paper and dipping it in the cinnabar (Jusa), He stamped every page of the book. He then declared, "This is a Mapae (horse warrant)."135)

In the excerpt above, grateful reciprocation (Boeun) to the ancestral spirits becomes the standard for judging life and death. The reason obligation (Uiri) and grateful reciprocation (Boeun) are the standard for judging life and death is that the capacity of the mind—which is the standard by which Heaven and Earth choose humans—is determined by obligation.

Although the concept of 'Mind' (Maeum) is absent in Western thought, Daesoon Thought positively embraces Western thought as well. Daesoon Thought, like the West, affirms growth. However, the difference between Daesoon Thought and the West is that growth in Daesoon Thought includes the divine beings of Heaven and Earth and the ancestral spirits. In Daesoon Thought, human growth becomes Dotong (unification with the Dao). What is emphasized in the growth of Daesoon Thought is the grace of Heaven and Earth and the ancestors—that is, Boeun. However, in Daesoon Thought, unlike in Daoism, Dotong can only be achieved by entrusting oneself to the will of Sangje, not just through one's own efforts.

任上帝之任意洋洋上帝在上浩浩136)

The excerpt above shows that the Dotong, which the treasured mind can achieve, lies in Ansim (peace of mind) and Ansin (peace of body), which are cultivated according to the Jinbeop (True Law) presented by the incarnated Gucheon. In Daesoon Thought, Dotong, like the principle of Muwiihwa (non-action and natural transformation), depends not only on individual effort but also on the principles of Gucheon.

The view of the human realm in Daesoon Thought, while its significance was revealed along with the progress of the Cheonjigongsa, appears in the "Jeongyo" (Teachings) section even before the Cheonjigongsa. Daesoon Thought presents the "Jeongyo" as a program through which Heaven and Earth foster human growth via Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon (Daoism), which possess the energies of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Just as Mencius mentioned the appearance of a sage every 500 years, the "Jeongyo" states that over approximately 4,617 years, divine sages (Sinseong) and the sages of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon, along with their teachings, appeared nine times in 513-year cycles, teaching humanity as shown in <Table 3>.137)

<Table 3> Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism (Yu-Bul-Seon) and the Jeongyo (Teachings)

	Potae (Conception; union of governance and religion, jeonggyo-hapil)			Yangsaeng (Nurturing Life; separation of governance and religion, jeonggyo-bunri)			Yokdae (Bathing and Capping; separation of governance and religion)			Gwanwang (Prime; union of governance and religion)
Period	513 years × 3 = 1,539 years			513 years × 3 = 1,539 years			513 years × 3 = 1,539 years
Content	The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (Samhwang-Oje)	Yao and Shun (Yo-Sun)	King Tang (Tangwang)	Shakyamuni (Seokga)	Confucius (Gongja)	Jesus (Yesu)	Silla and the Southern Dynasties (Silla-Namjo)	Neo-Confucianism (Seongnihak)	the Pope (Gyohwang)	Daesoon (the Great Itineration)

In fact, Daesoon Thought can be interpreted through the 7 stars of Jamidusu (Purple Star Astrology)—an extension of the astronomy and geography of Eastern mathematics, namely Hadonakseo (Hetu and Luoshu) mathematics—the 28 constellations (Su) of esoteric Buddhist astronomy, the 24 seasonal divisions (Jeol) as temporal functions, the cosmology of the Cheonsangbunyeolchajido (Celestial Chart), and the 36-heaven cosmology of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm.138)139)140)141)

In accordance with Daesoon Thought's Samgyegongsa (Reordering of the Three Realms), which aims to fuse the principles (Ichi) manifested across all times and spaces of East and West, the Three Realms are reorganized for the cultivation of humanity. By the Cheongyegongsa (Reordering of the Heaven Realm), Tae-eul (Great Unity), the center of the Cheonsangbunyeolchajido, is related to Tae-eul Cheonsangwon-gun (Celestial Lord of the Great Unity), and the Chilseong (Seven Stars) surrounding Tae-eul are reorganized through a change in the order of the Chilseongju (Lords of the Seven Stars). Divine generals (Sinjang) are assigned to each of the 28 constellations and 24 seasonal divisions surrounding the Seven Stars, thereby substantiating correlative thinking. In the relationship of the Three Realms in the Later World, the greatest changes from the Former World are Injon (Supremacy of Humanity), Seongsa Jaein (Achievement Depends on Humanity), and Dotonggunja (Person of Dao Mastery).142)

Therefore, unlike the human-divine relationship in existing religions, in Daesoon Thought, it is one of mutual communication. It can be said that humans are gods trapped within bodies, and the goal is to awaken the internal god to communicate with the external gods. The cosmology and view of the human body in Daesoon Thought are meticulous in detail, explaining the cosmologies and views of the human body of existing religions more thoroughly and systematically.

Western thought, which entered East Asia 100 years ago, was actually familiar to East Asians. The West learned from Mencius and initiated the first dynastic revolution (Yeokseonghyeongmyeong), and through the I Ching (Book of Changes), Leibniz established monadology, the foundation of atomism.143) When Western culture arrived, Western democracy and science were not unfamiliar to Eastern intellectuals, so unlike other civilizations, their acceptance was very easy.144)

The significance of the East Asian origin of European modern civilization for Korean new religions implies that the modernity possessed by Korean new religions was, from today's perspective, postmodernism—that is, contemporary modernity. Although mainstream modern intellectuals accepted Western modernity literally, the indigenous modernity of the seemingly inferior new religions was, in fact, a modernity one step ahead of the West. Another basis for the modernity of Korean new religions being postmodernism—that is, contemporaneity—is that the great rise of Korean new religions occurred after the late 1980s, when contemporaneity emerged.145)

Korean new religions, at the time of their emergence, were already pursuing a modernity one level higher than that of the West; therefore, for Korean new religions to be revived after Japanese suppression, they had to await the postmodern situation of the collapse of communism, or the contemporary situation.

The Revitalization of Eastern and Western Views of Humanity (Ingangwan) in the View of the Human Realm (Ingyegwan) as "Achievement Depends on Humanity" (Seongsa Jaein)

The Revitalization of Confucian, Buddhist, and Seon (Daoist) Views of Humanity (Ingangwan) in the View of the Human Realm (Ingyegwan) as "Achievement Depends on Humanity" (Seongsa Jaein)

The view of the human realm appearing in Daesoon Thought is connected to the views of humanity in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon (Daoism), as shown in the "Jeongyo" (Teachings). In Daesoon Thought, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon are said to have been the process by which Heaven educated humanity. In Daesoon Thought, where Gucheon is emphasized, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon correspond to the energies of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. However, there is a significant difference in that Daesoon Thought emphasizes substantial divine beings (Sinmyeong), whereas existing Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon emphasize the attributive functions of divine beings.

Heomu (Emptiness/Nothingness), Jeokmyeol (Nirvana/Extinction), and Ijo (Rule by Decree), which represent the ideas of existing Seon, Buddhism, and Confucianism, each take on one function of Heaven and Earth in Daesoon Thought. The Heomu of Seon, the Jeokmyeol of Buddhism, and the Ijo of Confucianism are integrated into Gwanwang (Peak of Prosperity), the stage following Potae (Conception), Yangsaeng (Nourishment), and Yokdae (Bathing and Girding) in the 12 Phases of Energy (Sibiwunseong), and Daesoon Thought is the Dao of Gwanwang. The Heomu of Seon (Daoism), the Jeokmyeol of Buddhism, and the Ijo of Confucianism correspond respectively to the three functions of the mind as clarified in Neo-Confucianism: Heoryeong (Vacuous Spirit), Jigak (Perception/Awareness), and Sinmyeong (Divinity/Spirit).146)

道傳於夜天開於子轍環天下虛靈

敎奉於晨地闢於丑不信看兒足知覺

德布於世人起於寅腹中八十年神明147)

In the Simgyeong (Classic of the Mind), the mind is said to have the structure of heoryeong (numinous void)–jigak (perception)–sinmyeong (divine illumination). In Daesoon Thought, the three energies of heoryeong–heomu (emptiness), jigak–jeokmyeol (nirvanic cessation), and sinmyeong–ijo correspond respectively to Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Heoryeong, jigak, and sinmyeong can be interpreted, in correspondence with Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, as substance, function, and subject. 148)149)

In Daesoon Thought, the principle by which Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon can relate to divine beings is that they each possess the energies of Heaven and Earth's Potae (Conception), Yangsaeng (Nourishment), and Yokdae (Bathing and Girding).

受天地之虛無仙之胞胎

受天地之寂滅佛之養生

受天地之以詔儒之浴帶150)

The excerpt above shows that the Seon (Daoist) idea of Heomu (Emptiness) came from the Potae energy of Heaven and Earth, Heomu; and the Buddhist idea of Jeokmyeol (Nirvana) also came from the Yangsaeng energy of Heaven and Earth, Jeokmyeol. This is the same for Confucianism.

The harmonious union between divine and human beings (sinin-johwa) in Daesoon Thought, achieved through the principles of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism that function as Potae, Yangsaeng, and Yokdae, can be understood more clearly through Han Tae-dong's method of representing Eastern thought in symbolic mathematics. Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Western religion can be expressed as: the double-affirmative Confucianism in which X is X and –X is –X; the paradoxical Daoism in which X is –X and –X is X; and the double-negative Buddhism in which X is neither X nor –X. The characteristics of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism are clearly revealed in how they define the relationship between friend and foe. Confucianism—glad to learn (X) and practice (X), and glad that a friend (X) comes again (X) from afar—holds that, since the ruler (X) must be ruler-like (X) and the subject (–X) must be subject-like (–X), in the friend (X)–foe (–X) relationship, a friend (X) is a friend (X) and a foe (–X) is a foe (–X). Against this Confucianism, which separates and drives foe and friend apart like a repulsive force, Daoism—the old archrival of Confucianism—holds that calling the Dao (X) the Dao (X) is not the Dao (–X), that being (X) is non-being (–X) and non-being (–X) is being (X), that the weakest water (–X) is strongest (X), and the ugliest (–X) person is the most beautiful (X); therefore a foe (–X) is a friend (X) and a friend (X) is a foe (–X). Against this Daoism, which arranges foe and friend symmetrically, Buddhism—the long-standing mediator between Confucianism and Daoism—asserts the all-encompassing emptiness (空) in which there is neither friend (X) nor foe (–X). Therefore the emptiness and cessation of Daoism and Buddhism are marked as –X. Moreover, although Confucianism has no –X, the double-affirmative X marked by ijo (以詔) can be interpreted as inner transcendence. The posthuman era requires inner transcendence, and this is well revealed in the vogue of the Korean Wave (Hallyu), which reflects the transcendence internalized by Eastern women. Inner transcendence grounded in emptiness and cessation is said to be the key to the co-evolution of humans and machines in the posthuman era. The above relationship between the Twelve Life-Stages and Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism can be summarized as in <Table 4>. 151)152)153)154)155)156)157)

Looking at the trends of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon in the East, overall, they have progressed in a direction where the substantiality of divine beings disappears and attributes are emphasized. In the case of Daoism, the correlative thinking of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements progresses from Waedan (Outer Alchemy) to Naedan (Inner Alchemy), and the Gi (energy) of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements is internalized. In the case of Buddhism, correlative thinking progressed from Theravada Buddhism, where Buddha and sentient beings are strictly separated, to Mahayana Buddhism's Tathagatagarbha thought, which posits that Buddha-nature is inherent in sentient beings, and finally developed into Seon (Zen) Buddhism, which holds that sentient beings can awaken directly. In the case of Confucianism, after the system of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements merged with Confucianism following the Han Dynasty, Confucianism developed into inner cultivation (Suaeng) at the stage of Neo-Confucianism. However, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Seon, having abandoned substance and leaned toward attributes, ultimately could not overcome the threat from the West, which leaned toward substance.

<Table 4> The Twelve Life-Stages (12-unseong) and Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism (Yu-Bul-Seon)

Category	Seon (Daoism)	Bul (Buddhism)	Yu (Confucianism)
Twelve Life-Stages (12-unseong)	Potae (Conception)	Yangsaeng (Nurturing Life)	Yokdae (Bathing and Capping)
Characteristic	Creative Transformation (Johwa)	Form (Hyeongche)	Decorum (Beomjeol)
Logic (Nolli)	X is X, –X is –X	X is X, –X is –X	X is X, –X is –X
Patriarchs of the Former World (Seoncheon Jongjang)	Laozi (Noja)	Shakyamuni (Seokga)	Confucius (Gongja)
Patriarchs of the Later World (Hucheon Jongjang)	Suun	Jinmuk	Zhu Xi (Juja)

In response to this, the concept of substantial divine beings (Sinmyeong) appears in Daesoon Thought. If the West says "God is dead," the Cheonjigongsa of Daesoon Thought is summarized as "Heaven has grown old." Whereas in the West, God is dead and humans must live alone without God, in Daesoon Thought, Heaven, which corresponds to God, is not dead but merely old, and Heaven can be mended and re-established by Sangje.

Furthermore, in contrast to Eastern thought which emphasizes attributive elements, Daesoon Thought emphasizes substantial elements and expresses the concepts of sin and punishment by placing their origin not only in human nature but also in the substance that is the structure of Heaven and Earth.

In the past Former World, the era of heroes, people lived by means of sin; but in the Later World, the era of sages, they will live by means of good. Will living by sin last long, or will living by good last long? Now, I have laid out the Dosu (order of things) for the sentient beings of the Later World to live by means of good.158)

In the excerpt above, the expression "the Former World, living by means of sin" shows that human sin is not just an individual problem. Daesoon Thought's view of humanity, unlike the Eastern Yoo-Bul-Seon (Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism) view that emphasizes an attributive view of humanity, possesses both attributes and substance through the structural reality of Seoncheon (Earlier World) and Hoocheon (Later World), thereby embodying Eastern indigenous modernity.

Revitalization of Western Views of Humanity in the Seongsa Jaein (成事在人) Human Realm View

In the West, as the monotheistic worldview collapsed upon reaching the modern era, it was followed by the collapse of the view of God, and then the collapse of the view of humanity. The Western worldview, which collapsed due to heliocentrism, eventually led to the collapse of the view of God, epitomized by "God is dead," and today, it is linked to the loss of humanity amidst the reality of the end of humanity and the collapse of the ecosystem.

When Matteo Ricci transmitted Western Learning (Seohak), it also had an organic worldview of the Four Elements (earth, water, fire, air), similar to Yin-Yang and the Five Elements (Ohaeng), but by the time the Cheonjigongsa (Reordering of the Universe) was underway, the Western view of humanity had discarded the Four Elements view and replaced it with the constructivist view of humanity of Descartes and Kant.

The Descartes-Kant constructivist view of humanity was a worldview that replaced the position of the vanished monotheistic God with the substance of human five senses. Descartes' assertion that in a situation where the monotheistic God had disappeared and nothing could be trusted, the only thing one could trust was one's own thought, was widely accepted and later developed by Kant into a constructivist worldview where the world is constructed by each individual.

This constructivist worldview, which emerged in the process of imitating the East—a moral society in a world without God (Shin)—was, unlike the Eastern worldview, a dangerous substantial worldview that dominated and manipulated nature. The constructivist worldview quantified and instrumentalized the world according to human senses, devising many tools of civilization and scientific technologies that had not been thought of before.159) As humanity seemed to grow closer to God, this constructivism was considered successful for the first 200 years of its establishment. However, before even 300 years had passed, the West began to speak of "The Decline of the West." The West, having recklessly run down a path never taken for over 300 years, realized that their civilization had brought about the extinction of humanity and that they had reached a dead end with no way back.160)

The Eastern thought that the West had originally imitated—a moral society in a world without God (Shin)—was not, in fact, constructivism like that of the West. The East, also in a society without a transcendent God, projected its own laws onto the world, but what they projected was the principle of correlative thinking known as Igiron (Theory of Principle and Material Force). Furthermore, the concept of God (Shin) in Eastern thought was not a transcendent God like that of the West, so there was no need to be hostile towards it.

The fact that Eastern Gwishin-ron (theory of spirits) is a mechanistic concept of God (Shin), like Yin-Yang or Igi (Principle and Material Force), is the point where the Eastern and Western views of God differ the most. The Eastern view of God, when looking at the concept of Sangje (Supreme Ruler) appearing in the oracle bone script of the Yin dynasty where the Eastern view of God first appeared, has anthropomorphic (personal God) elements similar to the West; however, as the Zhou dynasty's concept of Cheon (Heaven) replaced the Yin dynasty's concept of Sangje, the anthropomorphic concept gradually disappeared and the characteristics of an Ibeopshin (God of Law/Principle) emerged. The Zhou dynasty's concept of Cheon (Heaven) developed into the concepts of Cheonshin (Heavenly Spirits), Jigi (Earthly Spirits), and Ingwi (Human Spirits) under the influence of the Cheon-Ji-In Samjae (Three Powers: Heaven, Earth, Humanity) thought during the Warring States period, and eventually, by the Han dynasty when the I Ching (Book of Changes) was established, it was replaced by the concept of Yin-Yang. The mechanistic Eastern concept of Gwishin (spirits) temporarily disappeared from the forefront of Chinese intellectual history as the anthropomorphic (personal God) concepts of Buddhism and Taoism became popular. Only after Shao Kangjie (Shao Yong) explained the Igi concept as the Che-Yong (Substance-Function) relationship of Gwishin concept and Yin-Yang Ohaeng did the Yin-Yang and Igi concepts inherent in the Gwishin concept regenerate. Shao Kangjie's Che-Yong relationship was more specific in terms of Gihwa-ron (theory of materialization/qi-transformation) than the simple Yin-Yang relationship of the Warring States period's Shin-In (God-Human) relationship.161)

If Yoo-Bul-Seon (Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism) are concepts that explain the view of humanity from an attributive perspective, then Jori (Regulating Principle) and Gihwa (Materialization/Qi-transformation) are concepts that explain the view of humanity from a substantial perspective. Daesoon Thought also presents human Jori (Regulating Principle) and divine Gihwa (Materialization/Qi-transformation) as major characteristics of the Ingye-gwan (View of the Human Realm).

天用地用人用之調理綱紀統制乾坤此之謂造化手段也162)

In the example above, Jori (Regulating Principle) signifies the method of controlling Geon-Gon (Heaven and Earth) from the center, that is, mediation by humanity as To (Earth/Soil). This reflects the Yeokhak (I Ching studies) perspective that humanity, as a being possessing I (Principle/Reason), controls the surrounding things. This corresponds to the Eastern case of Western constructivism, where humanity manipulates the world perceived through the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose (sensory organs) from the center of the world.

The Eastern thought corresponding to Western constructivism was the mediation of human contradiction through empathy, that is, human Jori (Regulating Principle) and divine Gihwa (Materialization/Qi-transformation). The Warring States period's idea of mediation by humanity as To (Earth/Soil) is substantiated in Shao Kangjie's Igi concept as the concept of human Jori (Regulating Principle). Looking at the concept of human Jori (Regulating Principle) in Shao Kangjie's Igi concept, one can see that Shao Kangjie's concept of human Jori (Regulating Principle) also originates from the Yin-Yang relationship between God (Shin) and human (In).163) Unlike the Shinseon-sul (Taoist arts of immortal hermits) that was already widely used in Shao Kangjie's time, Shao Kangjie discovered a more specific model of the Shin-In (God-Human) relationship in Yin-Yang Ohaeng.164) What Shao Kangjie, who deeply studied the principles of Ha-do (River Chart) and Nak-seo (Luo Writing), discovered was the distinction between To (Earth) and Mok-Hwa-Geum-Su (Wood, Fire, Metal, Water) in Yin-Yang Ohaeng.

Looking at this specifically, Shao Kangjie, like the Jeon-gyeong, shows that humanity can regulate (Jori) the Shinmyeong (divine spirits) through the empathy and justice of the mind. In Shao Kangjie's Shin-In (God-Human) relationship, the arrangement of humanity as Jung (Center) and To (Earth), and God (Shin) as the Sa-sang (Four Symbols) and periphery appears. Humanity, as a being equipped with all principles (Ichi), regulates (Jori) all things through Gwanmul (observation of things), viewing things not by their external form but by their principle (Ichi) through the sensory organs.165) Taoism's Shinseon Naedan-sul (internal alchemy) is said to well express the Yin-Yang, the regulating (Jori) human and the materializing (Gihwa) mechanistic Shinmyeong (divine spirits) of the East.166) Shinseon (Taoist immortal), a being combined of Yang-human and Yin-God (Shin), is the conclusion of the Eastern Shin-In (God-Human) relationship according to the Yeok (I Ching) thought that all Yin-Yang merges into Taegeuk (Supreme Ultimate). As the I Ching revealed that Gwishin (spirits), which were objects of fear, possessed the rational attributes of Yin-Yang, the God (Shin)-Human relationship was also regarded as a Yin-Yang relationship, and unlike in the West, in the East, Gwishin (spirits) became beings that could combine with and be utilized by humans. After the Yin-Yang concept was established, the fascination of Qin Shi Huangdi and numerous Eastern intellectuals with Shinseon-sul (Taoist arts of immortal hermits) can be attributed to the rationality of Yin-Yang theory inherent in it. If Yin-Yang was the major premise that God (Shin) and human could unite, Ohaeng (Five Elements) was the specific pattern where the central human and the peripheral God (Shin) were arranged.

Before the constructivism of the modern West, the West's Four Elements (earth, water, fire, air) also had more similarities to constructivism than Yin-Yang Ohaeng. The relationship between To (Earth) and Mok-Hwa-Geum-Su (Wood, Fire, Metal, Water) in Yin-Yang Ohaeng is a part where East and West clearly differ. The West's Four Elements also had a fifth element, ether, like the To (Earth) of the East's Yin-Yang Ohaeng. The West's fifth element, like the monotheistic God, was a separate existence from the Four Elements (earth, water, fire, air). In contrast, the To (Earth) of Yin-Yang Ohaeng was a separate existence, yet also an immanent existence that operated together with Mok-Hwa-Geum-Su (Wood, Fire, Metal, Water). Shao Kangjie's Shin-In (God-Human) relationship can simultaneously accommodate the transcendent Western Shin-In relationship and the immanent Eastern Shin-In relationship.

Descartes and Kant were not the only ones who Westernized the Jori (Regulating Principle)-Gihwa (Materialization) concept. Leibniz interpreted Shao Kangjie's philosophy as a circle (Won) and found the point of contact between the theory of the immortality of the soul and the Igi (Principle and Material Force) concept. Leibniz says, "God is in all things, and in all things there is God (Shin)." God is simultaneously the circle (Won) and the center of the circle. Because God is the circle that is at the center of the circle everywhere.167) Spinoza, a representative Western pantheist, creates a Western polytheism influenced by Gi (Qi/Material Force) theory.168) Schopenhauer writes "The World as Will and Representation," reflecting the Gi (Qi/Material Force) and Sang (Symbol/Image) of the I Ching (Book of Changes).169) Nietzsche also pursued the Übermensch (Overman/Superman) under the influence of Buddhism.170) From Kant to Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel, in some cases 'God' was regarded as a moral being (Kant), in other cases 'God' was regarded as the universal Self (Fichte, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, 1762-1814), and in still other cases, God was regarded as the unified absolute idea constituting the world (Hegel). In short, this tendency to make 'reason' 'God' is precisely what replaces orthodox religion with philosophical religion, and it is said that all of this was influenced by Chinese philosophy.171)

In modern physics and Buddhism's Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra), it is said that the universe, matter, and humanity are not self-caused (Jajak), other-caused (Tajak), mutually-caused (Gongjak), or uncaused (Muinjak), but phenomena arising from given causes, and that the creation and annihilation of matter revealed by modern physics are the properties of elementary particles and energy, which is revealed to be Seong-gi (arising from nature) of the fundamental nature (Bonseong) spoken of in Hwaeom (Huayan). The life and death of stars, the change from inorganic to organic—the entire Dharma realm (Beopgye) shows that it has arisen through endlessly overlapping dependent origination (Jungjungmujin Yeongi).172)

The "Huangdi Neijing" (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), which became the beginning of the Igi (Principle and Material Force) concept, includes all of the Hundred Schools of Thought.173) It is said that Neo-Confucianism's developed concept of I (Principle/Reason) was influenced by Buddhism's Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra). In comparative philosophy today, the Igi concept is being extensively compared and studied with semiotics, Thomism, Spinozism, and the post-French philosophy influenced by it.174)

The concept of I (Principle/Reason), meaning the grain of jade (Ok), coming to represent the meaning of Taegeuk (Supreme Ultimate) in Buddhism's Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra) can be understood as the combination of the meaning of power that jade (Ok) possesses and the concept of the union of Brahman-Atman from Indian Brahmanism. Because jade (Ok) requires enormous labor, jade (Ok) itself could already be a symbol of power, and the union of Brahman, the entire cosmic existence, and Atman, the individual existence, aligns with the meaning of Taegeuk as 'Gakgu-Taegeuk Tongche-Taegeuk' (Each possesses the Supreme Ultimate, All encompasses the Supreme Ultimate) and the meaning of organic science that the part and the whole exhibit the same character.

The Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra) is a scripture that actually appeared around the 6th century when Buddhism was declining and Indian Brahmanism was reviving. The concept of Ri (Principle/Reason), which started from the concept of Jori (Order/Pattern) of Gi (Qi/Material Force), became independent as the concept of Jori (Regulating/Nourishing) as Yangsaeng (nurturing life) appearing in the "Zhuangzi." It can be said that the Platonic philosophical aspects appearing in Islam and Hinduism at the time the Hwaeom (Huayan) concept of I (Principle/Reason) was translated influenced the formation of Shao Kangjie's concept of I (Principle/Reason). It is said that Islam's Tawhid is the gerund form of 'to make one' or 'to declare or acknowledge oneness,' acknowledging God's oneness (uniqueness), indivisibility, absoluteness, and sole reality. Tawhid is seen as a variation of emanationism, like Neoplatonism, and is considered to have influenced the Sasa-muae (unimpeded interpenetration of all phenomena) and Isa-muae (unimpeded interpenetration of principle and phenomena) of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra). The interconnection of India, Islam, and China related to the origin of the concept of I (Principle/Reason) shows the possibility that the origin of Fuxi (Bok-hui) of Ha-do (River Chart) and Nak-seo (Luo Writing), which is the origin of the concept of I (Principle/Reason), can be traced back to the era of the ancient trifunctional system.175)176)

Revitalization of the East-West Heaven-Human Relationship in the Cheonji Boeun (天地報恩)

In Daesoon Thought, the relationship between humanity and Heaven is summarized as Cheonji-boeun (Grateful Reciprocation to Heaven and Earth). The reason humanity can realize the Earthly Paradise is that humanity is a being capable of Boeun (Grateful Reciprocation) through the mind.

道通天地報恩177)

In the example above, humanity's achievement of Dotong (Unification with the Dao), unlike in Taoism, is not because of human ability but because of Boeun (Grateful Reciprocation) to Heaven and Earth. Because humanity is called the most spiritual (Choeryeongja) of Heaven and Earth, humanity can know the grace of Heaven and Earth, and human Cheonji-boeun (Grateful Reciprocation to Heaven and Earth) can be said to be the reason for human existence.

That humanity must perform Boeun (Grateful Reciprocation) is specifically related to the Seong-Gyeong-Shin (Sincerity, Reverence, Faith) of Heaven and Earth. Because humanity has forgotten that the operation of Heaven and Earth, which nurtures (Hwayuk) humanity, is due to the utmost Seong-Gyeong-Shin (Sincerity, Reverence, Faith) of the Shinmyeong (divine spirits), Boeun (Grateful Reciprocation) to the Shinmyeong becomes an important factor in human life and death.

Life, longevity, and fortune are the grace of Heaven and Earth; therefore, establish the great righteousness of Cheonji-boeun (Grateful Reciprocation to Heaven and Earth) with Seong (Sincerity), Gyeong (Reverence), and Shin (Faith), and fulfill the human way (Indo).178)

As seen in the example above, human longevity and fortune are the result of the Seong-Gyeong-Shin (Sincerity, Reverence, Faith) of Heaven and Earth, thus becoming the core reason for human ethics and morality. Therefore, humanity must strive for Boeun (Grateful Reciprocation) for the grace of Heaven and Earth, and human Boeun (Grateful Reciprocation) and the resulting Dotong (Unification with the Dao) become central to the Hwayuk (nurturing) of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, in Daesoon Thought, it is said that through the efforts of ancestors over some 60 years, humans can be born as descendants with Hon (spirit) and Baek (body) combined, and because Hon and Baek are combined, humans come to possess a mind, which can be the source of desire and the foundation of all human abilities.179)

至寶卽吾之心靈也心靈通則鬼神可與酬酢萬物可與俱序 180)

In the example above, if humanity knows to repay (Boeun) the grace of Heaven and Earth, the human mind becomes a channel through which one can interact (sujak) with Gwishin (spirits). In Daesoon Thought, Heaven and Earth become beings that bestow infinite grace upon humanity. However, although human grievances (Wonhan) are connected even to Heaven and Earth, if humanity cultivates with a single mind (Ilshim), humanity becomes a being that repays (Boeun) Heaven and Earth through Dotong (Unification with the Dao).

For human Dotong (Unification with the Dao) and the accompanying Gaebyeok (Re-creation), there is also judgment upon Cheon-Ji-In (Heaven, Earth, Humanity). Therefore, Sangje is born directly borrowing a human body and actually expresses great suffering.

While Sangje was cultivating (gongbu) on Siru Mountain, he sometimes wept beyond the spring site at the foot of the mountain, and one time his father witnessed that sight while bringing a meal up Siru Peak.182)

Sangje lay down facing the wall, then suddenly said to his followers, "Now the whole world has come to destruction, and it is difficult to rescue everyone, so how could it not be lamentable (Wontong)," and He grieved greatly.183)

In the example above, Gucheon (Sangje of the Ninth Heaven) expresses the suffering of having to carry out the Cheonjigongsa (Reordering of the Universe). Gucheon (Sangje) also resolves the Hae-won (resolution of grievances) of the numerous vengeful spirits (Wonhon) who died misunderstanding Donghak thought, through the Gongsa (work).

Upon entering the twelfth month, Sangje completed various Gongsa (Works) and embarked on the Gongsa to adjust the Yeokdo (degrees of rebellion/adversity). Gyeong-seok, Gwang-chan, and Nae-seong left for Daeheung-ri; Won-il left for Shin Gyeong-won's house; and Hyeong-ryeol and Ja-hyeon left for Donggok. Sangje spoke to the remaining Mun Gong-sin, Hwang Eung-jong, and Shin Gyeong-su, saying, "Gyeong-seok's Seong (Sincerity), Gyeong (Reverence), and Sin (Trust) are so profound that I considered using him differently, but since this is a matter he himself requests, it cannot be helped," and added, "Originally, Donghak's advocacy for Boguk-anmin (protecting the nation and securing peace for the people) was merely a cry for the work of the Later World, but their hearts each desired to become 'kings, marquises, generals, and ministers,' and tens of thousands were dragged away and killed without achieving their desire. Their grievances soared to the heavens, and if those divine beings were left as they are, the governance of the Later World would fall into adversity (Yeokdo) and become chaotic; therefore, I was in the process of appointing a leader for the Haewon (resolution of grievances) of those divine beings, and Gyeong-seok's mention of twelve empires (十二帝國) means he has volunteered for it. His father was a high-ranking leader in Donghak and was captured and killed, and he himself also served as a Donghak Chongdae (representative leader), so from now on, I have attached all the Donghak divine beings to Gyeong-seok; from this seat, the Haewon of the 'kings, marquises, generals, and ministers' shall begin," He said, writing on a piece of paper, forbidding outsiders from entering, and saying, "Watch in the days to come. The expenditure of money will greatly increase, and the number of people will also be greater than in the Gabo year (1894). They must be set free so that there will be no hindrance in the Later World," He concluded.184)

In the example above, what Gucheon (Sangje), as substance, first emphasizes in Cheonji-boeun (Grateful Reciprocation to Heaven and Earth) is the Hae-won (resolution of grievances) of all creation (Samramansang). Also, because Dotong (Unification with the Dao) can only be achieved through Hae-won (resolution of grievances), Hae-won is highly valued. Gucheon (Sangje) selects Hae-won (resolution of grievances), which could not be resolved in the Seoncheon (Earlier World), as the foremost task to be resolved in the Cheonji-Cheonin (Heaven-Earth and Heaven-Human) relationship.

The Holy Teacher Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山), who is the possessor of supreme (無上) wisdom (智慧), boundless (無邊) virtuous transformation (德化), and great (偉大) authority (權能), and is a historic (歷史的) great religious founder (大宗敎家), as Gucheon Daewon Jowajusin (九天大元造化主神) presided (主宰) over the Three Realms Great Authority (三界大權), made a great circuit (大巡) of the world (天下), and then descended (大降) into the human world (人世), rectified (整理) the Cheonji Dosu (天地度數, Heavenly and Earthly Degrees) which had lost their proper course (常道), opened the path (運路) to the boundless (無窮) immortal realm (仙境) of the Hucheon (後天, Later World) to build (建設) an earthly paradise (地上天國), and in order to widely save (建) the divine beings (神明) trapped in calamity (否劫) and the world's populace (世界蒼生) fallen into disaster (災劫), He traveled (巡回周遊) and performed (行) the Great Work (大公事); therefore, by the truth (眞理) of the Great Dao (大道) of Eumyang Hapdeok (陰陽合德, Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang), Sinin Jowa (神人調化, Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings), and Haewon Sangsaeng (解冤相生, Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence), with the principle (理法) of Sinin Uido (神人依導, Mutual Guidance between Divine Beings and Human Beings), He centered on Haewon (解冤, Resolution of Grievances) and concluded (終結) the Cheonji Gongsa (天地公事, Heavenly and Earthly Works) with Boeun (報恩, Grateful Reciprocation); thus, by the principles (道理) of these two foundations (兩原理), Haewon (解冤) and Boeun (報恩), all the grievances (寃鬱) accumulated throughout the ages (萬古) will be resolved, and the world (世界) will be transformed into a paradise of virtuous transformation (道化樂園) free of mutual conflict (相克), and this is precisely the truth (眞理) of the Daesoon (大巡, Great Circuit).

In the excerpt above, the phrase "all the grievances (寃鬱) accumulated throughout the ages (萬古) will be resolved" signifies that the purpose of Gucheon's Cheonji Gongsa is Haewon (Resolution of Grievances), and that Haewon is the key to modernity. Furthermore, through Jeungsan's Haewon and Boeun Gongsa (Works for Resolution of Grievances and Grateful Reciprocation), all things in the Three Realms will become the Huchon Seon'gyeong (Later World Immortal Realm). The smooth progress of this Haewon and Boeun is the success of Cheonji (Heaven and Earth), and the achievement of Haewon and Boeun for all things in the universe also occurs under the authority of Jeungsan.

In Daesoon Thought, the mutual conflict (相克) of the Three Realms manifests as the disorder of the Three Realms (三界錯亂), and the mutual beneficence (相生) of the Three Realms manifests as the success of Cheonji (天地成功). Because the disorder of the Myeongbu (冥府, Underworld) is a significant problem, through the Cheonji Gongsa, the Cheon-In (Heaven-Human) relationship and Ji-In (Earth-Human) relationship are restored and reactivated by stopping this disorder of the Myeongbu, which arose from the calamities (否劫) of divine beings and humans.

In the case of the Ingye-gwan (View of the Human Realm), it is the perspective that the occurrence and resolution of all problems in the Cheongye (Heavenly Realm) and Jigye (Earthly Realm) happen simultaneously through human beings. This is the time when Cheonji (Heaven and Earth) needs human beings in order to succeed, and Cheonji Seonggong (Success of Heaven and Earth) is achieved through the Sangsaeng (mutual beneficence) of the Cheon-In (Heaven-Human) relationship.185)186)

Revitalization of the East-West Earth-Human Relationship in the Earthly Immortal (地上神仙)

In Daesoon Thought, the relationship between humans and the earth is related to Jisang Sinseon (Earthly Immortals). In Daesoon Thought, the key to human growth and world development is Sinin Jowa (Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings), and the method for Sinin Jowa is Eumyang Hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang). In Daesoon Thought, Sinin Jowa is possible because both divine beings and humans commonly possess the principle of the Taegeuk (Supreme Ultimate), which is Eum-Yang (Yin-Yang), so if they understand each other's opposing positions, they can harmonize because they share the same principle. That the world grows toward Haewon Sangsaeng (Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence) and Dotong Jin'gyeong (Perfected State of Unification with the Dao) through the harmony of divine beings and humans is the view of humanity concerning the Hucheon (Later World) presented by Daesoon Thought.

In Daesoon Thought, in which one can become an earthly immortal, the status of the human being in relation to Earth is concentrated in the tenets (jongji). If the consideration of this paper is correct—that in Daesoon Thought the cosmos circulates in infinite superposition [qi] according to the four virtues of origination, flourishing, benefiting, and firmness [li], and the human being mediates through empathy [mind]—then humanity's status in the cosmos in Daesoon Thought is that of a being that brings Heaven and Earth to success. Humanity's status in the cosmos, in which it must bring Heaven and Earth to success, is again divided in Daesoon Thought into four kinds, like the tenets, according to the method of empathy. Infinite superposed circulation [li-qi] and empathy [mind] become the common principle regarding humanity's status in the cosmos as it appears in Daesoon Thought. Let us now examine humanity's status as it appears in Daesoon Thought. 187)

First, regarding Eumyang Hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang), humans must empathize with Cheonji (Heaven and Earth) through space-time, and therefore can become Ji-in (知人, knowing persons) who understand the movements of time. If people know the time and know how to change according to the time, Saenggi (生氣, vital energy) will continuously arise.188) To the extent that a single thought of a person can change the weather of Cheonji (Heaven and Earth), humans can achieve the Eumyang Hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance) of body and mind through Mujagi (毋自欺, guarding against self-deception), which is not deceiving the mind.189) Humans, through the empathy of Eumyang Hapdeok, can well control the energies of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, which move freely according to the principles of Hyeonmanghoessak (弦望晦朔, phases of the moon). Because the universe infinitely and overlappingly circulates, Eum-Yang (Yin-Yang) is the principle (理致), and the principle (理致) becomes the circumstance (境遇).190)

Next, regarding Sinin Jowa (Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings), humans are the only beings who possess a mind that can suffer through a physical body, which divine beings do not have. In Daesoon Thought, Sinmyeong (神明, divine beings) can be interpreted as the Gi (氣) of Wonhyeong-ijeong (元亨利貞, Principle of Four Virtues). The human mind is the place where divine beings come and go, and just like Ijeongsimbeop (理定心法, Rectifying the Mind with Principle), principle (理致) can rectify the mind.191) Through Ansim Ansin (安心安身, Calming the Mind and Body), the mind becomes Jamsim (潛心, immersed), and when the mind is immersed, it becomes peaceful, like a woman living in the house called the universe (宇宙), enabling empathy with the divine.192) The Sudo-in (practitioner) can mediate the infinitely and overlappingly circulating universe through Jumun (呪文, incantation) training, and through Seonggyeongsin (誠敬信, Sincerity, Respect, and Trust), they empathize (共感) and resonate (感應) with the divine through principle (理).193)194)

Next, regarding Haewon Sangsaeng (Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence), humans are the only beings who can resolve Won (寃, grievances) with principle (理致). Ihae (理解, understanding) can be seen as meaning that Won (寃, grievances) must be resolved (解) through principle (理致); therefore, humans can resolve Won through principle (理致). Humans are beings who empathize and mediate, so if they cannot control their Eum-Yang (Yin-Yang), Won (grievances) will make them sick, and they cannot be called human.195) Therefore, while both the East and the West have Dotongsin (Divine Beings of Dao Unification), Uidong (醫統, Unification of Medicine) exists only in Joseon.196) Humans are beings at the center, curing the diseases of the universe and making it circulate.197) Because the universe infinitely and overlappingly circulates, even the grievance harbored by one person can block the energy of the world.198)

The indigenous modernity revealed in the re-establishment of the Daesoon Thought's Samgye-gwan (View of the Three Realms), as examined above, can be summarized into three main points. First is the variability of the entire Three Realms, especially the variability of the Cheongye (Heavenly Realm). Daesoon Thought regarded the collapse of the Samgye-gwan (View of the Three Realms) not as a problem of the Samgye-gwan itself, but as a problem of the Samgye (Three Realms). The Daesoon Thought's Cheongye-gwan (View of the Heavenly Realm), represented by the "Old Heaven," re-established the collapse of the Cheongye-gwan by assigning a limit to the Heaven—which had been the supreme existence throughout history in both the East and the West—that it was a being capable of aging. In Daesoon Thought, the Three Realms are not the immutable, reigning Three Realms of traditional Eastern thought, but variable Three Realms that can be changed by Sangje (the Supreme God).

Second is the rise in status of the Jigye (Earthly Realm) within the Three Realms. Throughout Eastern and Western history, religions that elevate Sangje (Jeungsan) as the object of faith are almost the only ones to have emphasized that the earth must be elevated as high as the heavens, whereas others elevated only the heavens. Daesoon Thought, by putting forward Eumyang Hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang)—which elevates the earth—as the first phrase of its tenets, presented the status elevation of the Jigye (Earthly Realm) most clearly among the religious groups that venerate Jeungsan.

Third, the mutual compatibility (interchangeability) of the Three Realms. In Daesoon Thought, the Three Realms change as a whole and their internal proportions are fluid, yet they are mutually interchangeable centered on the human being who mediates. Daesoon Thought holds that Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, which arose from a common structure and principle, failed to communicate with one another because of grievances, so that many calamities occurred. The reason mutual exchange was blocked is that Earth was despised in comparison with Heaven, and humans, as weak beings, were exploited without principle. The changes in the views of Heaven, Earth, and humanity in Daesoon Thought that appeared after the human incarnation and descent of Gucheon manifest as the variability, constancy, and interchangeability of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. 199)

A Comparison of Autogenous Modernity in Donghak and Daesoon Thought

Comparison of Autogenous Modernity in Views of Heaven

The Three Powers (Samjae 三才) and the Three Realms (Samgye 三界)

According to the principle of liminality, where ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, Daesoon Thought adds new characteristics to the characteristics of Donghak Thought. Therefore, a comparison of the two thoughts can be made through these newly emerging characteristics. Terms that uniquely appear in the Daesoon Thought's view of Heaven include Samgye (Three Realms) and Hucheon (Later World), which contrast with Donghak Thought's Samjae (Three Powers) and Seoncheon (Former World), respectively.

First, in Daesoon Thought, Samgye (Three Realms) refers to the Cheongye (Heavenly Realm), Jigye (Earthly Realm), and Ingye (Human Realm). Although Daoist thought individually mentions the Heavenly Realm, Subterranean Realm, etc., instances of using the expression Samgye (Three Realms) to collectively refer to them are rare. On the other hand, Daesoon Thought presupposes the "Three Realms" starting from the term Daesoon (Great Circuit), and the Cheonji Gongsa (Heavenly and Earthly Works), which is central to Daesoon Thought, is also expressed as a series of Samgye Gongsa (Works of the Three Realms).

That Samgye-gongsa is precisely the Gaebyeok (Great Opening) of the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity; and this Gaebyeok is not a matter of following what others have made, but is newly made, so it did not exist in the past, nor does it exist now; it is not inherited from others, nor is it a matter of Unsu (fortune/destiny), but is solely a matter that must be brought into being by Sangje.1)

In the excerpt above, Samgye (Three Realms) is defined as collectively referring to the Heavenly Realm, Earthly Realm, and Human Realm. Samgye (Three Realms) appears as a core term of the doctrine that reveals the characteristics of Daesoon Thought. Samgye (三界, Three Realms) contrasts with Samjae (三才, Three Powers), but it first appears in Daesoon Thought and is used repeatedly. For example, in Daesoon Thought, Gucheon Daewon Jowajusin (九天大元造化主神) is the Samgye Jijon (三界至尊, Supreme Ruler of the Three Realms) who oversees (統察) the Three Realms and, while conducting the history of the Three Realms (三界役使), diagnoses the progression of the confusion of the Three Realms (三界混亂) into the disorder of the Three Realms (三界錯亂)—caused by the appeals of Shinseong (神聖, divine saints), Bul (佛, Buddhas), and Bosal (菩薩, Bodhisattvas)—through the Samgye Daesoon (三界大巡, Great Circuit of the Three Realms), and with the Samgye Daegweon (三界大權, Great Authority of the Three Realms), He performs the Samgye Gongsa (三界公事, Works of the Three Realms) which subdues the demons of the Three Realms (三界伏魔) and reconstructs (三界改造) the Three Realms, thereby exorcising the demons of the Three Realms (三界解魔), making the Three Realms transparent (透明), and achieving the Gaebyeok (開闢, Creation-Opening) of the Three Realms.2)3)4)5)6)7)8)9)10)11)12)13)

These Three Realms (三界), when compared to the Three Powers (三才), reveal three characteristics. First, characteristics of the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity as seen from the perspective of Gucheon (the Ninth Heaven), such as Samgye Jijon (Supreme Ruler of the Three Realms) and Samgye Daesoon (Great Circuit of the Three Realms), are revealed. Second, because the "Gye (界)" in Samgye (三界, Three Realms) carries the meaning of a "system," it emphasizes the Sinmyeong-gye (Realm of Divine Beings) compared to Samjae (三才, Three Powers). Third, Samgye (三界, Three Realms), as indicated by the term "Gye (界)," simultaneously emphasizes Western substantiality in comparison to the Eastern Samjae (三才, Three Powers), which emphasizes attributes. Examining each characteristic in light of the usage examples of Samgye (Three Realms), they are as follows.

First, characteristics of the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity as seen from the perspective of Gucheon (the Ninth Heaven), such as Samgye Jijon (Supreme Ruler of the Three Realms) and Samgye Daesoon (Great Circuit of the Three Realms), are revealed in the Three Realms. Cheonju (Celestial Lord), that is, Gucheon Daewon Jowajusin (九天大元造化主神), as the Samgye Jijon (Supreme Ruler of the Three Realms), oversees (統察) the Three Realms and works within the Three Realms.

Cheonjon (天尊, Celestial Worthy) indicates that Sangje is the holiest and greatest deity throughout the Three Realms, who universally creates every being through His thunderbolt throughout all directions in space and time. 14)

Gucheon (九天, Heaven) is a name derived from the following scriptural passage: “…all the divine sages, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, who had existed since the dawn of time, gathered and petitioned Me in the Ninth Heaven...” This means that they appealed to the highest Celestial Worthy, the one who presides with supreme authority over the cosmos. The Ninth Heaven is the highest location of all, a post from which Sangje supervises the Three Realms, coordinates Heaven and Earth, and directs the process of their unfolding. 15)

The word Tongchal (統察, overseeing governance) is also, like Samgye (Three Realms), a term unique to Daesoon Thought, not found in standard Korean dictionaries. Standard Korean dictionaries only list Tongchal (洞察, insight) and Tongchal (通察, thorough investigation); the "Tong (統)" in Tongchal (統察) means "to lead" or "to command" (거느릴 통). Tongchal (統察, overseeing governance) is also distinguished from Tongje (統制, control); Tongje means to command and regulate, while Tongchal means to command and observe the great universe. Samgye Tongchal (overseeing governance of the Three Realms) means residing as the Samgye Jijon (Supreme Ruler of the Three Realms) and exercising the Samgye Daegweon (Great Authority of the Three Realms). Gucheon resides as the Samgye Jijon (Supreme Ruler of the Three Realms) and, in the Ninth Heaven, listens to the appeals of Shinseong (divine saints), Bul (Buddhas), and Bosal (Bodhisattvas).

"Establishing schools widely in this world to teach people is intended to greatly civilize the world, attach it to the history of the Three Realms, and resolve the grievances of divine beings and humans; however, the current school education causes learners to fall only into base utilitarianism, such as seeking government positions and salaries, and therefore, I have decided to allow the attainment of the Dao outside the established framework," He concluded His words.16)

In the Seoncheon (Former World), the only way for divine beings to resolve their grievances was to respond to humans or be reborn as humans and achieve accomplishments of a higher level, and that was only possible through schools. Samgye Yeoksa (History of the Three Realms) is mentioned only once in the Jeon-gyeong. From the history of the Three Realms, it can be seen that the problems of the Three Realms are presented with humans as the answer to the problems.

Second, because the "Gye (界)" in Samgye (三界, Three Realms) carries the meaning of a "system," it emphasizes the Sinmyeong-gye (Realm of Divine Beings) compared to Samjae (三才, Three Powers). The indigenous modernity of Donghak Thought and Daesoon Thought is set against the backdrop of the conflict between the modernity of the Western views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, which emphasizes substance, and the traditional Eastern Samjae (Three Powers) thought, which emphasizes attributes. The Western substantial views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, centered on growth, had power but lacked stability; the Eastern Samjae-gwan (View of the Three Powers), centered on stability, presented integrative stability but lacked the power to respond to reality. Donghak Thought attempted to compensate for the power lacking in the Eastern Samjae-gwan by revealing the Cheonoecheon (Heaven beyond the Heavens) hidden in Eastern thought, but it could not be a sufficient method. In response, Daesoon Thought introduced the concept of Sinmyeong (divine beings) through the concept of Samgye (Three Realms), thereby presenting a method to integrate the Eastern and Western views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

In Daesoon Thought, Gucheon (the Ninth Heaven Sangje) diagnoses, through the Samgye Daesoon (Great Circuit of the Three Realms), the progression of the confusion of the Three Realms (三界混亂) into the disorder of the Three Realms (三界錯亂), caused by the appeals of the Cheonji Sinmyeong (Heavenly and Earthly Divine Beings)—the Shinseong (divine saints), Bul (Buddhas), and Bosal (Bodhisattvas).17)18)19)

Daesoon Jinrihoe is based on the appeal of the Cheonji Sinmyeong (Heavenly and Earthly Divine Beings) to correct the Three Realms (三界) that had lost their proper course (常道), whereupon Gucheon Sangje (九天上帝, Sangje of the Ninth Heaven) descended to the human world (人世), rectified the Cheonji Dosu (Heavenly and Earthly Degrees) that had lost their proper course, in order to save the world (匡救天下), proclaimed the principles (道理) of Haewon Sangsaeng (Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence) to the Human Realm (人界), and after completing the accompanying Great Work (大公事) over forty years, He ascended (化天).20)

The "appeal of the Cheonji Sinmyeong" refers to the "appeal made to the Gucheon (Ninth Heaven) by all the Shinseong (神聖, divine saints), Bul (佛, Buddhas), and Bosal (菩薩, Bodhisattvas) who had gathered." Accordingly, all Shinseong (divine saints), Bul (Buddhas), and Bosal (Bodhisattvas) are expressed as Cheonji Sinmyeong (Heavenly and Earthly Divine Beings). Divine beings connect attributes and substance, causing substance to move according to attributes and attributes to be revealed as substance. Depending on the role of the divine beings, the Three Realms fall into confusion or escape from confusion.

...(Omitted)... That civilization, being biased toward materialism, instead fostered human arrogance, and eventually, by attempting to shake the heavenly principles and conquer nature, it endlessly committed all sorts of sins, undermining the authority of the divine way (Shindo), thus the proper courses of the Heavenly Dao and human affairs were violated, the Three Realms fell into confusion, and the source of the Dao was severed; therefore, all the primeval Shinseong (divine saints), Bul (Buddhas), and Bosal (Bodhisattvas) gathered and appealed to the Gucheon (Ninth Heaven) regarding this calamity (劫厄) of the human race and the realm of divine beings (神明界) ... (Omitted)...21)

Confusion manifests as the operational disorder of the Sinmyeong-gye (Realm of Divine Beings). The confusion of the Sinmyeong-gye (Realm of Divine Beings) develops into the disorder (錯亂) of the Sinmyeong-gye. It is said that the confusion of the Cheongye (Heavenly Realm) begins with the disorder of the Myeongbu (Underworld). "Sangje said, 'Because of the disorder of the Myeongbu (Underworld), the entire world has fallen into disorder; when the Myeongbu Gongsa (Work of the Underworld) is concluded, all the world's affairs will be resolved.'" After saying this, Sangje wrote on paper daily and then burned it. In this passage, the divine beings are not only the cause of the confusion but also the means of resolving the problem. Gucheon (the Ninth Heaven Sangje) diagnoses the confusion of the Sinmyeong-gye (Realm of Divine Beings) through the Samgye Daesoon (Great Circuit of the Three Realms) and corrects the confusion of the Sinmyeong-gye through the Samgye Gongsa (Works of the Three Realms). "Daesoon Jinri" (Truth of Daesoon) is an abbreviation for "Samgye Gaebyeok Daesoon Jinri" (Truth of the Great Circuit for the Gaebyeok of the Three Realms).22)

The term Daesoon, literally ‘Great Itineration,’ by which this religious order is named Daesoon Jinrihoe, comes from The Canonical Scripture, where Sangje said:

“…all the divine sages, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, who had existed since the dawn of time, gathered and petitioned Me in the Ninth Heaven to save the realm of humans and the realm of gods from the catastrophes that they were facing. Thus, I descended to the Tower of Heavenly Revelation in the Kingdom of the Great Law (Daebeopguk 大法國) in the West, and on My Great Itineration (Daesoon 大巡) throughout the whole world, at last I reached this land in the East.” (Progress of the Order 1-9) 23)

“Descending to the Tower of Heavenly Revelation in the Kingdom of the Great Law in the West, I went on My Great Itineration throughout the whole world to create an earthly paradise and save humanity from the verge of annihilation by re-creating the Three Realms through My great authority.” (Authority and Foreknowledge 1-11) 24)

“Gong-Wu attended to Sangje in many Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth for three years. Whenever a Reordering Work was done, Sangje ordered, ‘Make the rounds and promulgate the news to disciples everywhere.’ Gong-Wu heard Him say, ‘This is precisely the Great Itineration (Daesoon 大巡) around Heaven and Earth.’” (Progress of the Order 1-64) The order’s name was coined by citing this Daesoon, which embodies the meaning of the Reordering Works of the Great Opening throughout the Three Realms (Samgye Daesoon Gaebyeok-gongsa). 25)26)

In the examples above, the expression "the Daesoon (大巡) which holds the meaning of the Reordering Works of Samgye Daesoon (三界大巡, Great Itineration of the Three Realms)" shows that "Daesoon Jinri" (Daesoon Truth) is an abbreviation for "Samgye Gaebyeok Daesoon Jinri" (The Truth of the Great Itineration for the Gaebyeok of the Three Realms).

Third, as indicated by the term "Gye (界)," the Samgye (Three Realms), compared to the Eastern Samjae (Three Powers) that emphasizes attributes, emphasizes Western substantiality. The Gucheon of Daesoon Thought holds the Samgye Daegwon (Great Authority over the Three Realms), performs the Samgye Gongsa (Works of the Three Realms) which Samgye Gaejo (reorganizes) the Samgye Bokma (Latent Devils of the Three Realms), Samgye Haema (resolves the malign forces of the Three Realms), makes the Three Realms transparent, and brings about the Gaebyeok (Re-creation) of the Three Realms.27) First, the Three Realms, unlike the Three Powers which are biased toward the meaning of attributes, possess substance, such as the Great Authority over the Three Realms, thereby bringing about substantial change.28)29)30)31)32)33)

One day, Sangje said to Kim Hyeong-ryeol, "Presiding over the great authority of the Three Realms (Samgye-daegwon), I intend to open the Hucheon Seon'gyeong (Immortal Realm of the Later World) by opening Heaven and Earth through Jhwa (Creation/Harmony) and widely save the sentient beings who have fallen into the sea of suffering (Gohae)," and also said:

"Now, facing the Malse (End Times), the Mugeuk-daeun (Great Fortune of the Ultimate Infinite) is about to open,"

"Be careful in all matters, do not create Cheok (grievances/karmic debts) with others, and distance yourselves from sin,"

"Participate in the Cheonji Gongjeong (Public Court of Heaven and Earth) with a pure mind."

So He spoke, and He opened Hyeong-ryeol's Sinan (divine eye) and had him observe the Hoesan (gathering and scattering) and Cheongryeong (receiving commands) of the divine beings.34)

In the example above, Gucheon mentions the Great Authority over the Three Realms as the means to re-create Heaven and Earth through Johwa via the divine beings and to open the Earthly Paradise of the Later World. Through the divine beings, Gucheon can also resolve the malign forces (Haema) of the Bokma (Latent Devils), the hidden demons of the Three Realms, and bring about Gaebyeok.

The introduction of the Shinmyeonggye and the harmony of substance and attribute through the concept of the Three Realms can be explained more concretely by the incarnation of Gucheon in Daesoon Thought and the subsequent harmony of the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, compared to Donghak Thought which only emphasized the appearance of the Cheonoicheon. Against the backdrop of the concept of the Three Realms examined above, we can compare the indigenous modernity manifested in Donghak Thought and Daesoon Thought.

First, the characteristics of Donghak Thought's views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity can be summarized as follows. First, Donghak Thought activated the concept of Cheonju (Heavenly Lord), a being outside the Heavenly Realm. The Donghak view of Heaven is different from the pre-Donghak view of Heaven, which was merely separate. Second, the Donghak view of Heaven formally possesses both the transcendence of Seohak (Western Learning) and the immanence of Daoism, and content-wise, it possesses the immanence of Seohak and the transcendence of Daoism. Regarding the view of Earth, Donghak Thought also aims for an Earthly Paradise. Examining the Donghak view of Humanity, it advocates Boguganmin (Protecting the Nation and Securing Peace for the People). This is based on the harmony between Earth and Humanity, and the harmony between humans.

Throughout the East and West, claims and ideas regarding the views of Humanity and the Divine have continuously emerged. However, Daesoon Thought is almost the only ideology that has re-established the view of the Three Realms (Samgyegwan) and re-established the views of the Divine and Humanity through this worldview. As Daesoon Thought's re-establishment of the view of the Three Realms was different from existing religions, research on the view of the Three Realms has been very rare.

The Eastern worldview of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity is no longer a worldview that even Easterners believe in and rely on today, following the Western invasions that occurred over 100 years ago. The negation of the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity means the negation of Eastern civilization and the negation of the 5,000-year history that the East has achieved. Therefore, the re-establishment of the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity is the re-establishment of Eastern civilization and the revival of Eastern history.

In response to the changed views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity in Donghak Thought, Daesoon Thought presents the concept of the Three Realms. The Three Realms not only have ancient origins but also provide a microscopic framework for East Asian culture as a whole, beyond just a macroscopic worldview. The Three Realms surpassed the spatial worldview of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity to become the basis for the methodology of Eumyang Ohaeng (Yin-Yang and the Five Elements), which formed the foundation of East Asian philosophy, religion, science, art, and technology. The Samjae (Three Powers) provided a unified framework, from high culture to folk culture, as the common foundation for the theories of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.

The worldview of Daesoon Thought is characterized as the Samgyegwan (View of the Three Realms). Daesoon Thought is almost the only religion that clearly presents the Samgyegwan as its worldview. In Daesoon Thought, the Three Realms refer to the Heavenly Realm (Cheon-gye), the Earthly Realm (Ji-gye), and the Human Realm (In-gye). Although Daoist thought individually mentions the Celestial Realm, the Subterranean Realm, etc., instances of using the expression "Three Realms" to refer to them collectively are rare. On the other hand, Daesoon Thought presupposes the "Three Realms" starting from the term Daesoon itself, and the Cheonjigongsa (Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth), which is central to Daesoon Thought, is also expressed as a series of Samgye Gongsa (Works of the Three Realms).

The denominations that advocate correlative thinking are those that venerate Jeungsan as their object of faith, and among them, Daesoon Thought is the most representative. The Daesoon denomination further specifies and emphasizes the Three Realms. Daesoon Thought also made the establishment of the Samgyegwan the foremost task of the Cheonjigongsa and assigned it priority theoretically as well. The establishment of the Samgyegwan in Daesoon Thought is liminality and revitalization based on correlative thinking, and can be described as Eumyang Hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang), Samjae Hwangnip (Establishment of the Three Powers), and Ohaeng Gubi (Completion of the Five Elements). In the Cheonjigongsa, this is actually implemented in Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

The most concrete form of Gaebyeok (Re-creation) is the Samgye Gaebyeok (Re-creation of the Three Realms) of Daesoon. Before Jeungsan spoke of Samgye Gaebyeok, there was "Dasi Gaebyeok" (Re-creation Again), but Samgye Gaebyeok is clear and substantial. Although there has been much research on Donghak, comparative studies with Daesoon Thought regarding the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity are rare. The comparison between Donghak Thought and Daesoon Thought is most clearly revealed in the changes in their views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

Despite the widespread examples of the Three Realms in East Asian culture, the understanding of the Three Realms is still insufficient, not only within Daesoon Thought itself but also in the entire study of Eastern thought. The reason research on the Three Realms is insufficient is that the concept of the Three Realms requires empirical and logical explanation. This is a field of interdisciplinary research that transcends the domain of the humanities. In other words, the extensive scope possessed by the Three Realms has actually acted as an obstacle. Because the Three Realms are not merely a symbolic framework but are applied to substantial culture, explaining the infinite domain possessed by the Three Realms often did not align with existing Western science. Therefore, in the study of East Asian thought, the Three Realms as a worldview were regarded as a pre-modern worldview, and only the ideological aspects have been studied separately.

The views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity in Daesoon Thought, which interpret Cheon-Ji-In (Heaven, Earth, Humanity) as the Three Realms, superficially align with the Daoist views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The Three Realms in Daoism is a concept established by expanding the concept of Jae (才, Power/Component) from the Samjae (Three Powers) of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity into the concept of Gye (界, Realm) as in Segye (World). The Three Realms in the East are largely divided into the Buddhist Three Realms (composed of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm) and the Daoist Heavenly Realm, Earthly Realm, and Human Realm. The Daoist views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, which clearly explain the material world, and the Buddhist view of the Three Realms, which is also understood as a spiritual state, seem to have clear differences in their explanatory fields, but they also show commonalities. Among the commonalities, looking first at the name "Three Realms," the concept of "Gye" (Realm)—as in Heavenly Realm, Earthly Realm, and Human Realm—appears in Daoism after the Buddhist concept of the Three Realms, instead of Samjae (Three Powers). Also, regarding the division of heavens, the heavens appearing in the Buddhist Three Realms add up to 28 heavens, and Daoism also has 28 heavens, excluding the upper heavens. The fact that the number of heavens, 28, matches, shows that Daoism's expression of the Samjae as "Gye" (Realms) like the Buddhist Three Realms indicates that the Daoist Heavenly, Earthly, and Human Realms and the Buddhist Three Realms share commonalities. Another commonality in the "Gye" concept of Buddhism and Daoism is the application of tri-divisional thinking in world perception.35)

The tri-division in both Buddhism and Daoism seems to be an emphasis on the mechanical symmetry common to both Buddhism and Daoism. Symmetry itself is a binary division of Yin and Yang, but sustaining symmetry requires a new central axis at the center of the two axes. Just like natural phenomena in the macroscopic solar system or the microscopic subatomic particle system, metaphysical thought also requires three axes to finally maintain continuous symmetry. Like the global ubiquity of the concept of the Trinity, the reason why the worldview of tri-division is universal throughout the world, not just in the East but across all ages and places, is clearly the maintenance of symmetry. This is also a characteristic of the Samgyegwan (View of the Three Realms) of Daesoon Thought, which has Eumyang Hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang) as its tenet. Another reason the Daoist views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, which align with the Samgyegwan of Daesoon Thought, receive attention is because of their scientific nature. In particular, the fractal worldview of quantum mechanics, which views the universe as a repetition of a single principle, has been highlighted by new scientists like Capra since the 1960s.36)

Seoncheon (Former World) and Hucheon (Later World)

The most prominent difference seen in the view of Heaven between Donghak Thought and Daesoon Thought can be succinctly described as Seoncheon (Former World) and Hucheon (Later World). Like the difference between the Three Realms and the Three Powers, Seoncheon and Hucheon do not just signify a simple difference in eras, but are a core concept related to whether or not the Shinmyeong (Divine Beings) play a role in modernity. The concept of the Hucheon is distinguished from the Seoncheon based on the incarnation of Sangje as a human body. The appearance of the Cheonoicheon (Heaven beyond Heaven) in Donghak Thought and the incarnation of Gucheon (Ninth Heaven) as a human body in Daesoon Thought represent an incomparable difference from the perspective of the Shinmyeonggye (Realm of Divine Beings) that constitutes the world; therefore, the boundary of the Hucheon begins with the incarnation of Gucheon in Daesoon Thought, which brings about a total change in the status of the Shinmyeonggye and the Ingye (Human Realm). Therefore, the concept of Hucheon in Daesoon Thought is an expression unique to Daesoon Thought, completely different from the Jeongyeok (Correct Change) thought.

In Donghak Thought, Gaebyeok (Re-creation) becomes "Dasi Gaebyeok" (Re-creation Again), which carries the meaning of "Returning to the Seoncheon." The "Dasi Gaebyeok" of Donghak Thought has often been interpreted as "Hucheon Gaebyeok" (Re-creation of the Later World). However, looking at the records of Donghak-related denominations that continued Donghak Thought, "Dasi Gaebyeok" appears to be a return to the origin point of the Seoncheon, "Doro Seoncheon" (Returning to the Seoncheon), rather than meaning "Hucheon Gaebyeok." "Doro Seoncheon" seems to be a term formally similar to "Dasi Gaebyeok." 'Sangju Donghak,' which used the term "Doro Seoncheon," is known as a denomination that newly distributed many Donghak-related scriptures and Gasa (verses). The fact that this denomination, which focused on publishing and literature, interpreted "Dasi Gaebyeok" as "Doro Seoncheon" seems to indicate their position that, in the context of the Donghak scriptures, "Dasi Gaebyeok" is properly interpreted as "Doro Seoncheon." In fact, if one looks at the problems of that time only from a Confucian perspective, the best solution to the problems of the time could be a "Dasi Gaebyeok" that returns to the age of Yao and Shun.37)

On the other hand, Daesoon thought advocates for Huchon Gaebyeok in response to this. The concepts of Sonchon and Huchon also follow the principle of liminality, where ontogeny repeats phylogeny, so a comparison with the Sonchon of Donghak thought can be made by examining the characteristics of the Huchon. The Huchon is a view of Heaven (Cheongwan) in which the Eastern attributive view of Heaven and the Western substantive view of Heaven have achieved virtuous concordance (Hapdeok). From the perspective of Daesoon thought, which integrates Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism (Yubulseon), the idea of "Doro-Sonchon," meaning the era of Yao and Shun begins again, is a reductionist understanding of Daesoon thought through the lens of Confucian limitations (Yugyo-ui Jeonheon).

The original intent of Donghak thought was the Huchon, but Donghak thought, understanding Daesoon thought through the limitations of Confucianism, misunderstood the Huchon as 'Doro-Sonchon' (Returning to the Former World) and understood Donghak thought as the idea of "the whole country becoming Yangban (aristocrats)." Furthermore, the dream of "Yangban" connects to becoming 'Wanghujangsang,' which shows that the interpretation of "Doro-Sonchon" was an incomplete interpretation.

Like the principle that phylogeny is recapitulated in ontogeny, Daesoon Thought holds that the new era is realized in a new world through a new thought that integrates Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, and that this had to be the Later World (Hucheon)—a new Heaven and new Earth—rather than a reverting Former World (Seoncheon).

In Daesoon thought, the Sonchon was not a world to be sublated (rejected) in contrast to the Huchon, but a process that had to be passed through according to the principle of Saengjang-yeomjang (growth, flourishing, harvest, storage) in order to reach the Huchon. The countless grievances of the Sonchon were the driving force that could be resolved through Haewon in the Huchon. However, the meaning of Gaebyeok, or the indigenous modernity of Daesoon thought, was not that the Sonchon would be reset to the beginning like 'Doro-Sonchon.' The Gaebyeok and Huchon that the indigenous modernity of Daesoon thought sought to achieve was a new world created by gathering only the advantages of the principles of all times and places, just as ontogeny repeats phylogeny.39)

Originally, the term 'Sonchon' (Prior Heaven) was first used in the history of I-Ching (Yeok) studies by Shao Kangjie (Sogangjeol), and the scholarly system of Sonchon-yeokhak (Prior Heaven I-Ching studies) was completed by Zhu Xi (Ju Hui) and Cai Yuanding (Chae Wonjeong), the father of Cai Chen (Chae Chim) who wrote the "Seojeon-seomun" (Preface to the Book of Documents).40) Sonchon-yeokhak, unlike the I-Ching studies that tell fortunes according to King Mun's 64 hexagrams, is the study that explores the principles of universal change appearing in Fuxi's 8 trigrams diagram and the Hado (River Map) and Nakseo (Luo Writing). The commonly used Fuxi's 8 trigrams diagram did not exist before Shao Kangjie made it public. In Sonchon-yeokhak, 'Sonchon' is used to mean "prior to Heaven" in the I-Ching, referring to the time before things operated in mutual conflict (Sangguk) or before matter came into existence. Shao Kangjie distinguishes between Sonchon (Prior) and Huchon (Latter) worlds based on the boundary of Emperor Yao's discovery of the concept of 'To' (Earth). Since Sonchon-yeokhak is related to the arrangement of the eight trigrams, "Jeongyeok" (Correct Change) can also be considered Sonchon-yeokhak in a broad sense. For the modern interpretation of Sonchon-yeokhak, Han Gyu-seong, Han Tae-dong, Han Jang-gyeong, Han Dong-seok, Lee Seung-su, Kim Seung-ho, Yu Nam-sang, Lee Hyeon-jung, Im Byeong-hak, Yun Jong-bin, and Kim Sang-il are widely known.41)42)43)44)45)46)47)48)49)50)51)

The concept of Huchon begins with the use of the concept of Cheonju (Lord of Heaven) in Donghak thought. This is because what separates Sonchon and Huchon is the incarnation of Sangje into a human body. 'Cheonju' (Lord of Heaven) is the name of the monotheistic God that Matteo Ricci heard from a young Chinese man.52) Catholic priests and Protestant ministers who studied Confucian scriptures, including Matteo Ricci, say that the Sangje of primitive Confucianism had a purely monotheistic form.53) Matteo Ricci, the Catholic priest who first introduced Seohak (Western Learning/Catholicism) to China, and James Legge (1815-1897), the Protestant minister who translated the Four Books and Five Classics including the "I Ching" (Juyeok) and "Analects" (Noneo) into Western languages, almost identically claimed that the Chinese were descendants of Noah who had migrated, thus possessing primitive monotheistic beliefs which later became corrupted.54) Terrien de Lacouperie (1844-1894), Europe's foremost Sinologist until the early 20th century, also argued that the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) came from Babylonia.55)

The 'Cheonju' in the Sichonju (Serving the Lord of Heaven) incantation is important because the reason for the persecution of Donghak was the suspicion that Donghak was Catholicism, based on the 'Cheonju' in the 'Sichonju' incantation. Why Choe Su-un insisted on 'Cheonju', even knowing the danger that the 'Cheonju' in the 'Sichonju' incantation could lead to Donghak being persecuted as Catholicism, remains an unsolved riddle in academia. Choe Su-un received the teachings of Sangje as a revelation, and Sichonju was also a revelation from Sangje; thus, although there was concern he could be persecuted as a Catholic, he could not change it. 'Cheonju' in 'Sichonju' also signified Mireuk (Maitreya), the Lord of Tushita Heaven, who appears in the Mireuk-sangsaeng-gyeong (Sutra on the Upward Rebirth of Maitreya). The reason Matteo Ricci translated Deus as Cheonju was not because he invented the term, but because it was the term used to mean God in China at the time.56) The Huchon was a concept contrasted with the Yonghwa-segye (Dragon-Flower World) that comes after the descent of Maitreya (Mireuk).57)

In Daesoon thought, the Huchon is a view of the Samgye (Three Realms) in which the Samjae (Three Powers/Potencies) are established. The Daesoon view of the Cheongyegwan (Heavenly Realm), which establishes the Samjae, even reorganizes the astronomy (Cheonmun) of the heavens. Daesoon reifies Mugeuk (the Ultimate Non-being/Limitless) through the concept of Mugeuksin (God of Mugeuk) and reifies Taegeuk (the Supreme Ultimate) through Tae-eul Cheonsang-wongun (Primal Lord of the Tae-eul Heaven). The Huchon is the future view of the Heavenly Realm, into which the Sinmyeong (spirits/gods) are introduced, seen from the perspective of the Guchon (Ninth Heaven). The view of the Heavenly Realm in the Huchon is as follows.

First, the Daesoon concept of the Heavenly Realm appears as two concepts of the Heavenly Realm. Cheon (Heaven) as Sangje is newly added. In Daesoon thought, there are two Gods: God as Sangje and the Cheonjisinmyeong (Spirits of Heaven and Earth); thus, there is the Heaven of Taegeuk (Supreme Ultimate) which contrasts with the Earth, and there is the Taegeuk Heaven above that, which integrates Heaven and Earth. Sangje presides over both Mugeuk and Taegeuk.

Second, compared to Donghak thought, which merely declared that Heaven and Earth are Yin and Yang, the Ibeopcheon (Heaven of Principle/Law) is more concretized in Daesoon thought. In summary, the characteristics of the Daesoon view of the Heavenly Realm appear as a more concrete view of the Heavenly Realm than that of Donghak thought, including: the replacement of the old heaven with a new heaven, an emphasis on Taegeuk and principle (Ichi), the distinction between the grace of Heaven and the principle of Earth, and the relationship of Yin-Yang virtuous concordance (Eumyang-hapdeok) between Heaven and Earth.

The correlative thinking appearing in the Donghak view of the Heavenly Realm is limited compared to that of Daesoon thought. The fact that the Cheon-In (Heaven-Human) relationship and the Cheon-Ji (Heaven-Earth) relationship are more prominent in the Daesoon view of the Heavenly Realm shows that liminality aspects are strengthened in the Daesoon view of the Heavenly Realm more than in Donghak thought. Furthermore, the Daesoon view of the Heavenly Realm emphasizes Sangsaeng (Mutual Beneficence), which does not appear in Donghak thought, and the role of Heaven is redefined, expanding revitalization in Daesoon thought.

In Daesoon thought, the revitalized view of the Heavenly Realm is reified as Mugeuksin (God of Mugeuk) and Tae-eul Cheonsang-wongun (Primal Lord of the Tae-eul Heaven); the arrangement of the Chilseongju (Lords of the Seven Stars) is changed; and the names of spirits are invoked in the 24 Ju (Jurisdictions/Divisions) and 28 Su (Constellations/Mansions), thereby re-establishing the view of the Heavenly Realm. This is realized through the Myeongbu-gongsa (Reordering Work of the Netherworld) within the Cheonji-gongsa (Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth). The astronomy of the Cheonsang-bunya-yeolcha-jido (Celestial Chart) is realigned.

In Daesoon thought, the Gaebyeok (Opened) Huchon signifies the fusion of all principles that have appeared in the time and space of all ages, East and West. Therefore, the connection of Eastern and Western views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity appearing in the Johwa (Harmony/Creation) of Donghak thought develops into fusion through the Samgye-gongsa (Reordering Work of the Three Realms) in Daesoon thought.

The Mueui-ihwa (Spontaneous Transformation) of the Cheon-Ji relationship in Donghak thought, which consists of Naeyu-sinryeong (Indwelling Spirit) and Oeyu-gihwa (Externalized Ki-transformation), appears in Daesoon thought as the Sa-ui (Four Forms/Modes) of Saengjang-yeomjang (growth, flourishing, harvest, storage). As a result of the reorganization of the 28 Su (Constellations) and 24 Jeolhu (Solar Terms) through the Cheonji-gongsa, the harmony of the 10 Gan (Stems) and 12 Ji (Branches), Wonhyeong-ijeong (Primal, Flourishing, Advantageous, Firm), and the 12 Unseong (Phases of Fortune) is established in Daesoon thought. This appears in the order of Eumyang-hapdeok (Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang), Samjae-hwakrip (Establishment of the Three Powers), and Ohaeng-gubi (Completion of the Five Elements), as shown in the Mugeukdo-chwijiseo (Statement of Purpose of Mugeukdo) of Daesoon thought.

However, existing views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity (Cheongwan, Jigwan, Ingwan) had fixed, unbalanced, and incompatible relationships between Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, and thus mainly pursued human salvation, liberation from suffering, or human immortality, but failed to pursue the realization of the world-spirit by humans. The existing views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity still carry the unresolved homework that Western civilization failed to solve when it spread to the East in the past. What differentiates the Daesoon view of the Three Realms (Samgye-gwan) from existing views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity is the variability, constancy, and compatibility of the Three Realms. The Daesoon view of the Three Realms possesses variability, constancy, and compatibility through Sangje.

The perspective of viewing modern problems as problems of the traditional Three Realms is not found even in Daoism. The reason Daesoon thought still shines today, over 100 years later, is that even now, there are few cases that have diagnosed modern civilization from a traditional Eastern perspective as much as Daesoon thought has. A differentiated study is needed on the perspective that viewed the problems of modernity from the viewpoint of the senescence and imbalance of the Three Realms.

Comparative Study on the Indigenous Modernity of the View of Earth (Jigwan)

Gihwa (Ki-transformation) and Jori (Governing/Conditioning)

In Donghak thought and Daesoon thought, which define the views of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity from the perspective of the Transcendent Heaven (Chowolcheon), 'Earth' (Ddang) is not the Earth belonging to the conventional Heaven-and-Earth (Cheonji), but rather the concept of Heaven-and-Earth contrasted with the Transcendent Heaven, namely Gihwa (Ki-transformation). However, in the case of Daesoon thought, which introduced the concept of Sinmyeong (spirits/gods) to Donghak thought, the role of Jori (Governing/Conditioning) by the incarnated Transcendent Heaven—that is, the role of 'To' (Earth) as a mediator—is added to the concept of Gihwa. The concept of Jori in Daesoon thought also follows the principle of liminality that ontogeny repeats phylogeny, allowing a comparison of the views of Earth (Jigwan) in Donghak thought and Daesoon thought through the concept of Jori appearing in Daesoon thought. Jori is a concept that clearly shows the Daesoon view of the Earthly Realm (Jigyegwan), which is harmonized by the World of Spirits (Sinmyeonggye), in contrast to Donghak thought.

天用地用人用之調理綱紀統制乾坤此之謂造化手段也58)

The above example shows that Jori, corresponding to Gihwa, is a core principle explaining the operation of the universe, just as Gihwa is. The 'Ri' (or 'I') in Jori is expressed as principle (Ichi) or law/principle (Ibeop). In Daesoon thought, the Earth appears as the central being of principle.

In the above example, the "principle of Earth" (Ddang-ui Ichi) shows the aspect of the Earth focusing on principle and law, according to the principle of Cheonwon-jibang (Heaven is round, Earth is square). Ri (Principle) traditionally appears in connection with Taegeuk (Supreme Ultimate). Before Donghak thought and Daesoon thought emerged, 'I' (Ri, principle) was the central concept in I-Gi-ron (Theory of Principle and Material Force); therefore, Donghak thought, with the concept of "Gihwa" (Ki-transformation), relatively emphasized Gi (material force) over I. In response to this, Daesoon thought emphasizes the 'I' (Principle) before 'I'—that is, Mugeuk (Limitless) and Taegeuk (Supreme Ultimate)—thereby stressing its practical application to everyday affairs.60)

理雖高出於太極无極之表不離乎日用事物之間61)

In the example above, the expression "Though Principle [I] is lofty, it issues forth from Taegeuk and Mugeuk" shows that 'I' (Principle) belongs to the Guchon (Ninth Heaven) of Daesoon thought, who is the presider over Mugeuk and Taegeuk. Accordingly, 'I' (Principle) exists within everyday affairs, that is, within all things in the universe (Samra-mansang). Whereas 'I' (Principle) in I-Gi-ron (Theory of Principle and Material Force) was a concept oriented toward attributes that excluded substantiality, the 'I' appearing in the example above is a concept of 'I' that emphasizes substantiality.

Because Taegeuk is the origin of the universe, it does not exist only at the beginning or origin, but is immanent in all things, like the 'I' (Principle) of the Avatamsaka (Hwaeom) Sutra. Zhu Xi's (Juja) expression 'Gakgu-Taegeuk Tongche-Taegeuk' (Each thing possesses Taegeuk; the whole possesses Taegeuk) means that Taegeuk exists commonly in the maximal universe and the minimal universe, just as the Avatamsaka Sutra says innumerable Buddhas exist within a speck of dust. The only difference between Taegeuk and the 'I' (Principle) of Buddhism is that Taegeuk explicitly expresses that its interior is specifically composed of Yin and Yang. Another difference between the 'I' (Principle) of I-Gi-ron (Theory of Principle and Material Force) and the 'I' of the Avatamsaka Sutra is that the 'I' of I-Gi-ron manifests specific attributes known as Wonhyeong-ijeong (Primal, Flourishing, Advantageous, Firm), unlike the 'I' of the Avatamsaka Sutra.62)

Originally, the characteristics of the category of li (理) are said to be inclusiveness, diversity, and dynamism. Examining the concept of li before Neo-Confucianism, in the Shuowen Jiezi, li is connected with jade (玉) in the sense that, the grain of things being densest in jade, the character follows 'jade.' Li first appears in the Classic of Poetry (Shijing 詩經), the Zuozhuan, and the Guoyu, where the concept of li used as munri (紋理, the pattern of markings) appears as chiri (治理, the principle of governing). Thereafter, in the Yijing it became the principle of all under Heaven and the principle of nature and destiny; it became Mencius's righteousness-principle and Xunzi's ritual-principle, and then changed into the Daoist principle of the natural. After that, Dong Zhongshu's concept of li and the concept of li in the Huangdi Neijing appeared. Dong Zhongshu, in the 'Cycle of the Dao' of the Chunqiu Fanlu, spoke of 'that which Heaven and Earth have not yet reached—li,' and the Huangdi Neijing calls birth-growth-transformation-completion-storage the 'principle of nurturing life.' 63)

The reason the characteristics of the 'Ri' (Principle) category were originally inclusiveness, diversity, and dynamism is that it originated from the concept of 'To' (Earth) in Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. Daesoon thought reactivated this 'I' concept as the concept of 'To', thereby enabling the introduction of the 'I' concept, compared to Donghak thought which was biased towards the 'Gihwa' (Ki-transformation) concept; consequently, it was able to introduce the accompanying concept of Sinmyeong (spirits/gods) and present a more concrete indigenous modernity.

元亨利貞大經大法道正天地數定千法而理定心法64)

In the passage above, which appears in the 'Gakdomun' (Writing on Awakening to the Dao) that defines the awakening of the Dao, this appears between the four virtues of origination-flourishing-benefiting-firmness and the concept of the mind that signifies Earth (To); by expressing that the mind's becoming To is the very concept of fixing the mind being li, it shows that the relationship between li (理) and qi (氣) is the relationship between To and Wood-Fire-Metal-Water. Daesoon Thought indirectly emphasizes that the starting point of Li-Qi theory is yin-yang and the Five Elements, and that it derives from Shao Yong.

Sangje said, “There is a saying that for words, there was Su Qin and Zhang Yi, for knowledge, there was Shao Kangjie, and for writing, there was Li Tai-Bai and Du Zimei. In The Songs of the Eastern Learning, these three energies are embedded. Contemplate this deeply.″ 65)

That the starting point of Li-Qi theory was yin-yang and the Five Elements was long forgotten by Neo-Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism's defeat by the West is also located in the very point that it discarded yin-yang and the Five Elements on its own. Yin-yang and the Five Elements were the starting point of Li-Qi theory, but the Neo-Confucians accepted Li-Qi theory while regarding yin-yang and the Five Elements as superstition. After Matteo Ricci, the superstitionizing of yin-yang and the Five Elements accelerated. The re-illumination of the Shao Yong theory by Seo Myeong-eung and others, who grounded yin-yang and the Five Elements in Li-Qi theory, was inevitable at the time.

If the resolution of grievances for mutual beneficence (haewon-sangsaeng) through humanity's harmonizing (jori) is realized, the Eastern and Western divine-human relationships can be integrated with each other. Once it becomes clear that divine beings exist as yin-yang and the Five Elements, the Western earth-water-fire-wind also becomes one part of the circle's circulation. In the West, the concept of divine beings has been demoted to the concept of angels, but the angels too are restored to the status of divine beings. 66)

The West's ancestral spirits (seollyeongsin) are also restored. In the West too, the ancestral spirits related to humans and the divine beings of Heaven and Earth related to nature are distinguished. When angels become the same as divine beings, in the West too the human becomes a being that merges with angels. By the respective natures of East and West, the West has had an affinity with subterranean deities, but with the union of yin-yang in virtue (eumyang-hapdeok), the West too dwells together with the spirits of ancestors. Daesoon Thought, by saying that 'after an ancestor passes four generations, it becomes both a spirit (yeong) and an immortal (seon),' explains both Li-Qi theory and the theory of the soul. If the concept of angels is converted into divine beings in the West, the character of the Absolute is also converted. In the East, the ultimate being was rendered as a principle, as in the Limitless (Mugeuk) and the Supreme Ultimate (Taegeuk); but, accepting also the Western-religious tradition in which Jesus personified it under the name of Father, Daesoon Thought concretizes the Limitless and the Supreme Ultimate under names such as the God of the Limitless (Mugeuksin), thereby re-establishing the Eastern and Western divine-human relationship. The re-established Eastern and Western divine-human relationship can also explain the changes of nature as follows. 67)

On the next day after Doju came back from Haein-sa Temple (Ocean Seal Temple), he gathered many disciples and said, “Even though Sangje defined the Ocean Seal as a seal, it is wrong for you to take it as a tangible object. The Ocean Seal is not far but close at hand. The origin of the principles of all things in the universe lies in the ocean. So, there are sayings of ´the Ocean Seal´ and ´a Perfected Being on an ocean island.´ Take a look at the sea water. It is all electrified. Water flows down but has the characteristic of ascending. Originally, all things are generated and grow by absorbing the energy of water. There are 36 Heavens in the sky and Sangje governs them. As he presides over electricity, rules, and nurtures all nature in Heaven and Earth, He is, accordingly, Nwehseong Bohwa Cheonjon Sangje [雷聲普化天尊上帝 The Supreme God, the Celestial Worthy of Universal Creation through His Thunderbolt]. Since the electricity of Heaven is in the ocean water, all things are surrounded by electricity.” 68)

In Donghak, the concept of 'qi-transformation (gihwa 氣化)' appears in the part 'inwardly there is the divine spirit, outwardly there is qi-transformation (內有神靈外有氣化).' In the case of 'the divine spirit within and qi-transformation without,' the divine spirit and qi-transformation are another concept by which Donghak connects East and West. Suun expresses the image of the Lord of Heaven (Cheonju)—who is personal yet at the same time impersonal, external yet at the same time fully immanent—as 'there is the divine spirit within us and qi-transformation without (內有神靈外有氣化).' Looking at the 'Nonhangmun,' one can see that Choe Je-u went a step beyond the general 'Eastern Way, Western implements (Dongdo-Seogi)' theory and highly evaluated Western learning and morality. 69)

“Westerners perfect the Dao and establish virtue (道成立德), and as for their creative transformation, there is nothing they cannot accomplish. When they attack with weapons, no one can stand before them in battle; if China is destroyed, how could we be free from the worry of 'lips gone, teeth cold'? There is no other reason for it. They call their Dao the Western Way (西道), their learning the Lord of Heaven (天主) [Learning], and their teaching the Holy Teaching (聖敎). Is this not knowing the time of Heaven (天時) and receiving the mandate of Heaven (天命)?” 70)

On the other hand, Suun criticizes the practice of the Western teaching. In the phrase 'the Western teaching has no numinous spirit of qi-transformation, and its learning has no teaching of the Lord of Heaven,' the latter, 'the learning has no teaching of the Lord of Heaven (學無天主之敎),' is said to mean 'the learning has no teaching of the Lord of Heaven's descending word (學無天主降話之敎)'—that is, not having inwardly received the teaching of the descending word (降話). Suun's criticism that Westerners do not even know how to serve the Lord of Heaven and ultimately only pray for themselves is because he saw that they do not know the numinous spirit of qi-transformation that mediates and makes mutually belong the 'I' and the 'you.' 71)

Daesoon Thought has revealed, as a point of difference, that it emphasizes the feminine mind rather than the masculine energy (gi) emphasized in Donghak Thought.

In The Songs of Suwun, there is a saying, “If the energy of the Dao is maintained for a long time, wickedness cannot enter [道氣長存邪不入].” However, I say, “If a perfected heart is adamantly guarded, blessings will come first [眞心堅守福先來].” 72)

That the feminine mind is emphasized in Daesoon Thought, unlike the masculine 'utmost qi (jigi)' emphasized in Donghak Thought, is because the resolution of grievances according to principle (li) is emphasized. 'Understanding (ihae),' the resolution of grievances by principle, is continually emphasized in Daesoon Thought together with 'reconciliation (hwahae).' The reason Donghak Thought is being re-illuminated today is, on the one hand, the aspect of its autogenous character connected to Korea's autogenous modernity; but it is also that Donghak Thought is a thought that contains a critique of materialistic modern civilization and an alternative future vision. Donghak Thought regards materialistic modern civilization as the legacy of Catholic Western Learning (Seohak), and criticizes Western Learning as outwardly advocating equality while, in the course of its practice, betraying Heaven through each-person-for-oneself-mindedness (gakja-wisim). 73)74)

The present status of Donghak Thought, while Donghak Thought itself is meager, still exerts great influence today through the expansion of Donghak-related thought that arose after Donghak. Most Donghak-related thought proposed gaebyeok (the Great Opening) as an alternative. In particular, Donghak aimed at a short-term, external, social gaebyeok. By contrast, Daesoon Thought aimed at a long-term, religious gaebyeok by divine beings.

In that East Asia of the time, at a grim moment when, having fallen to colonial status, the identity of an entire people maintained for 5,000 years was about to be annihilated, Korean new religions—rarely paralleled—presented a rosy vision of the future and won great response from the populace of the time. In fact, that vision, depending on interpretation, has proven accurate up to the present, so that the religious influence of those new religions persists even today.

To the Donghak participants who had become frustrated by the failure of the future vision of becoming kings, marquises, generals, and ministers, Jeungsan presents the True Donghak of grievance-resolution and gaebyeok as the cause of, and remedy for, Donghak's failure.

In the passage above, Jeungsan says that the original purpose of Donghak was to help Korea—an obscure, weak nation—and to resolve the age-old grievances accumulated across the whole world and thereby present an earthly paradise; that Donghak failed only because it could not fulfill its original purpose; and that henceforth Donghak's purpose will be realized through the True Donghak. In fact, after Jeungsan, Korea was rather handed over to Japanese rule; yet after Japanese rule, just as Jeungsan envisioned, Korea—then among the world's lowest-ranked nations and a country that had experienced colonization—became a political, economic, and cultural advanced nation in what is called the Miracle on the Han River. Daesoon Thought, by emphasizing the 'virtue of Earth (jideok 地德)' over against the anxious future brought about by Donghak Thought's 'qi-transformation (gihwa 氣化),' made a life of peace of mind and peace of body (ansim-ansin) possible.

Noiemugang (勞而無功) and Cheonji Seonggong (天地成功)

In the view of Earth (Jigwan) of Donghak thought and Daesoon thought, the terms that clearly reveal the difference between them are No-i-mugong (Labor without Achievement) and Cheonji-seonggong (Success of Heaven and Earth). 'No-i-mugong,' meaning 'labored but achieved no success,' is the term used in Donghak thought—where the Cheonoecheon (Heaven beyond Heaven) appeared only as a spirit (Sinmyeong)—to describe its own achievements, while Cheonji-seonggong is the term Guchon (Ninth Heaven) used to describe Heaven and Earth after the incarnation into a human body.

In traditional Yin-Yang and Five Elements, the term contrasted with Cheonji-seonggong (Success of Heaven and Earth) is Cheonji-hwayuk (Transformation and Nurturance by Heaven and Earth). In the ideal Samjae (Three Powers) concept, such as Cheonwon-jibang (Heaven is round, Earth is square) and Cheondo-jideok (Heaven's Dao, Earth's Virtue), Heaven and Earth nurture humans (hwayuk) to achieve the success of Heaven and Earth, much like parents raising children for the success of the family. No-i-mugong means that there were no instances of success. Although there are many terms for Heaven and Earth in Eastern thought, such as 'Cheonwon-jibang,' Donghak thought is unique in providing the first clue to the concept of Cheonji-seonggong (Success of Heaven and Earth). In Donghak thought, Cheonji-seonggong appears in the expression of Cheonju (Lord of Heaven) as "No-i-mugong" (Labor without Achievement). The No-i-mugong of Donghak thought becomes the gateway to understanding the Cheonji-seonggong of Daesoon thought. Cheonji-seonggong is the Earthly Paradise (Jisang-cheonguk) where Earth and Heaven achieve Yin-Yang virtuous concordance (Eumyang-hapdeok), and it becomes the success of Cheonju (the Lord of Heaven).75)

Since No-i-mugong appears in Donghak thought in the scene of realizing that Cheonji (Heaven and Earth) is Cheonju (the Lord of Heaven), i.e., Gwishin (spirit/god), it is necessary to understand the existing Eastern concept of Gwishin to understand No-i-mugong. In Donghak thought, Gwishin means the Cheonoecheon (Heaven beyond Heaven), but understanding why the Cheonoecheon was expressed using the term Gwishin requires an understanding of the traditional concept of Gwishin.

각주

1)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 5.
2)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), p.7.
3)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-17.
4)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
5)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 10.
6)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9; Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 2-6.
7)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 17; Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gwonji" (Authority and Foreknowledge) 1-21.
8)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 5-38.
9)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 7.
10)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 3.
11)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-30.
12)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), p.9
13)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-2.
14)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), "Sinang-ui Daesang" (Object of Faith).
15)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), "Sinang-ui Daesang" (Object of Faith).
16)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-17.
17)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
18)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 10.
19)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9; Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 2-6.
20)Podeok Gyohwa Gibonwonri (Fundamental Principles of Proselytization and Edification), "Yeonhyeok Gaeyo" (Historical Overview).
21)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
22)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-5.
23)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
24)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gwonji" (Authority and Foreknowledge) 1-11.
25)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-64.
26)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), "Daesoon Jinrihoe."
27)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 17; Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gwonji" (Authority and Foreknowledge) 1-21.
28)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 5-38.
29)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 7.
30)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-3.
31)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-30.
32)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), p.9.
33)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-2.
34)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 17.
35)Park Tae-bong, "Hangug-ui Sasang-gwa Munhwa-e Natanan Samsu Wolli Yeongu" [A Study on the Principle of Three Numbers Appearing in Korean Thought and Culture], Kongju National University Doctoral Dissertation, 2020.
36)Fritjof Capra, trans. Kim Yong-jeong and Kim Dong-gwang, Saengmyeong-ui Geumul: Saengmul Siseutem-e Daehan Saeroun Gwahakjeok Ihae (The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems), Seoul: Goyang, 1998.; Fritjof Capra, trans. Yi Seong-beom and Kim Yong-jeong, Hyeondae Mulli-hak-gwa Dongyang Sasang (The Tao of Physics), Goyang: Beomyangsa, 2015.
37)Kim Tak, "Donghakgyo 'Doro Seoncheon (先天)' Sasang-ui Naeyong-gwa Uiui" [The Content and Significance of the Donghak Religion's Thought of 'Returning to the Former Heaven'], Daesoon Sasang Nonchong (Journal of Daesoon Thought) 48, 2024, pp.199-237.
38)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 2-19.
39)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 30.
40)Jo Hui-yeong, "Seo Myeong-eung-ui Seoncheon Yeokhak Jeongnim-gwa Sidae-jeok Uiui; 'Seoncheon Saryeon'-eul Jungsim-euro" [The Establishment of Seo Myeong-eung's Former-Heaven I Ching Studies and Its Historical Significance: Centering on 'Seoncheon Saryeon'], Cheolhak Yeongu (Philosophical Research) 98, 2012, p.1.
41)Han Gyu-seong, original author; Han Pil-hun, ed., Juyeok-e Daehan 46gaji Jilmun-gwa Daedap (46 Questions and Answers on the I Ching), Dongnyeok, 1996; Han Gyu-seong, Yeokhak Wonri Ganghwa (Lectures on the Principles of I Ching Studies), Yemun-ji, 1997.
42)Han Tae-dong, Sayu-ui Heulleum (The Flow of Thought), Yonsei University Press, 2003.
43)Han Jang-gyeong, Juyeok·Jeongyeok (The I Ching and the Correct Changes), Salm-gwa Kkum, 2001.
44)Han Dong-seok, Uju Byeonhwa-ui Wonri: Eumyang Ohaeng Wonri (The Principles of Cosmic Change: The Principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements), Daewon Publishing, 2003.
45)Lee Seung-soo, The Principle of Jung (Center/Balance), Seoul: GG.com, 2008.
46)Kim Seung-ho, Juyeok Wonron (The Original Principles of the I Ching) (vols. 1-6), Seonyeongsa, 2009.
47)Yun Jong-bin, Jeongyeok-gwa Juyeok (The Correct Changes and the I Ching), Sangsaeng Publishing, 2009.
48)Yi Hyeon-jung, Yeokyeong-gwa Saseo (The Book of Changes and the Four Books), Yeongnak, 2004.
49)Im Byeong-hak, Yeokhak-gwa Hado Nakseo (I Ching Studies and the River Chart and Luo Writing), Korea Academic Information, 2008.
50)Yun Jong-bin, Hanguk Yeokhak Yeongu-ui Gicho (Foundations of Korean I Ching Research), Mungyeong Publishing, 2012.
51)Kim Sang-il, Yeok-gwa Talhyeondae-ui Nonri (The I Ching and the Logic of Postmodernity), Jisiksaneopsa, 2006.
52)An Seong-ho, "The Theological Continuity between the Term 'Shangdi (上帝)' Used in Matteo Ricci's Tianzhu Shiyi (early 17th century) and James Legge's English Translations of Chinese Confucian Classics (19th century)," Hanguk Gidokgyo-wa Yeoksa (Christianity and History in Korea) 32, Korea Institute of Christian History, 2010, pp.302-304.; Chen Kai Tong, Godae Jungguk Sok-ui Hananim (God in Ancient China), Seoul: Sun Publishing, 2009.
53)An Seong-ho, "John Ross's Theological Stance on Primitive Chinese Confucian Monotheism and the Terminology Debate in Chinese Bible Translation," Hanguk Gidokgyo-wa Yeoksa (Christianity and History in Korea) 40, (Korea Institute of Christian History, 2014), p.228.
54)Legge, The Notions of the Chinese concerning God and Spirits, p.33, cited in An Seong-ho, "The Theological Continuity between the Term 'Shangdi (上帝)' Used in Matteo Ricci's Tianzhu Shiyi and James Legge's English Translations of Chinese Confucian Classics," Hanguk Gidokgyo-wa Yeoksa (Christianity and History in Korea) 32, Korea Institute of Christian History, 2010, pp.315-316.
55)Sun Jiang, "The Yellow Emperor Came from Babylon: Lacouperie's Theory of the Western Origin of Chinese Civilization and Its Spread to East Asia," Gaenyeom-gwa Sotong (Concepts and Communication) 5, 2010, pp.79-26.
56)Hundreds of thousands of heavenly beings provided celestial music while scattering heavenly mandala flowers and great mandala flowers above him, praising: 'Excellent, excellent! Good man, because you cultivated abundant meritorious karma in Jambudvipa, you have been born here. This place is called Tusita Heaven, and the Lord of Heaven (Cheonju) here is named Maitreya; you should take refuge in him.' (Foshuo Guan Mile Pusa Shang Sheng Dou Shuai Tian Jing [Sutra on Contemplating Bodhisattva Maitreya's Ascent to Tusita Heaven]: 百千天子作天伎樂持天曼陁羅花摩訶曼陁羅花以散其上讚言善哉善哉善男子汝於閻浮提廣修福業來生此處此處名兜率陁天今此天主名曰彌勒汝當歸依, Dongguk University Buddhist Records Cultural Heritage Archive). Gucheon Daewon Johwajusin can also be called Cheonju (Lord of Heaven) by combining the cheon of Gucheon and the ju of Johwaju.
57)Choe Jong-seok, "Buddhist Elements in Jeungsan Religion: Focusing on the Acceptance of Maitreya Faith," Seonmunhwa Yeongu (Research on Seon Culture) 23, 2017, pp.254-255.
58)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43. The use of Heaven (Cheon-yong), the use of Earth (Ji-yong), and the use of Humanity (In-yong) are to harmonize the fundamental order (Ganggi), thereby governing Heaven and Earth. This is called the means of Joswa (Creation/Transformation). (Yang Mu-mok, "Haewon Jinri-roseoui Eumyang Hapdeok-gwa Minjujuui" [Yin-Yang Harmonic Virtue as Salvation Truth, and Democracy], Daesoon Sasang Nonchong [Journal of Daesoon Studies] 2, 1997, pp.175-176)
59)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-30.
60)It is said that Jeongeup, where Daesoon thought originated, had the tradition of Iljae Yi Hang, a substantialist school of Li-Qi thought. Kim Ik-du, Choe Yeong-seong, Yi Seon-a, Kim Beom-su, Iljae Yi Hang-ui Sasang Hangmun Iron-e Gwanhan Saeroun Sigakdeul (New Perspectives on the Thought, Scholarship, and Theory of Iljae Yi Hang), Seoul: Munyewon, 2014.
61)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43. Yi su go chul eo mugeuk taegeuk ji pyo, bulli ho ilyong samul ji gan. Although the principle is lofty, it emerges from the surface of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) and Wuji (the Limitless), and does not depart from the midst of daily-use things.
62)Zhu Xi's expression 'Gakgu Taegeuk, Tongche Taegeuk (各具太極, 統體太極)' — each thing possessing the Supreme Ultimate, and the Supreme Ultimate as a whole — is connected to the Huayan concept of Jungjeung Mujin (重重無盡, infinite interpenetration). (Kim Jong-uk, "Bogjapgye-roseo Saengtaegye-wa Beopgye" [Ecosystem and Dharmadhatu as Complex Systems], Cheolhak Sasang [Philosophical Thought] 41, 2011, pp.7-36)
63)Jang Ip-mun et al., trans. An Yu-gyeong, Ri-ui Cheolhak (The Philosophy of Li/Principle), Seoul: Yemunseowon, 2004, pp.30-36, 46, 49, 106.
64)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 2-33. Wonhyeong ijong, daegyeong daebeop, do jeong cheonji, su jeong cheonbeop, i jeong simbeop. The Way (Do) rectifies Heaven and Earth, Numbers (Su) fix the myriad laws, and Principle (Ri) governs the mind-method. (Choe Chi-bong, "Daesoon Sasang-ui Taegeuk-e Gwanhan Yeongu" [A Study on the Supreme Ultimate in Daesoon Thought], Daesoon Sasang Nonchong [Journal of Daesoon Studies] 23, 2014, p.403)
65)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 2-42.
66)In today's Western 'thanatology' (death studies), the West also acknowledges the existence of ancestral spirits (Seonlyeongsin). Although it began with the hospice movement aimed at 'well-dying,' modern Western thanatology has verified through tens of thousands of near-death experience cases that, just as in the East, people in the afterlife encounter ancestral spirits whom they had never met while alive. (Eben Alexander; Ptolemy Tompkins [co-authors], trans. Ko Mi-ra; Yi Jin [co-translators], Na-neun Cheonguk-eul Bo-asda [Proof of Heaven], Paju: Gimyeongsa, 2013, pp.124-130, 190)
67)Michel Serres regards the concept of angels, like the Eastern concept of Sinmyeong (divine spirits), not as a simple concept but as a decisive occasion for shaping the epistemological framework of the West. (Michel Serres, trans. Yi Gyu-hyeon, Heremes, Seoul: Minumsa, 2009, pp.299-303)
68)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 2-55.
69)Baek Min-jeong, "Jeong Yak-yong-gwa Choe Je-u-ui Sayu: Sangje-wa Sim Gaenyeom-euro Bigyo" [A Comparison of the Thought of Jeong Yak-yong and Choe Je-u through the Concepts of Sangje (Lord on High) and Sim (Mind/Heart)], Minjok Munhwa (National Culture) 61, 2022, p.149.
70)Donggyeong Daejeon (The Eastern Canon), "Nonhangmun" (On Learning).
71)Son Byeong-uk, "Donghak-gwa Bulgyo Yeombulseon-ui Sujeung Chegye Bigyo" [A Comparison of the Cultivation Systems of Donghak and Buddhist Yeombul-Seon], Donghak Hakbo (Journal of Donghak Studies) 23, 2011, p.107.
72)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 2-3.
73)The murals of Daesoon Jinrihoe depict Oseon Wigi (Five Immortals Playing Baduk), which represents Haewon Sangsaeng (Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Flourishing), as expressing 'benefit' (Yi/Ihae).
74)Kim Yong-ok, Donggyeong Daejeon 2 (The Eastern Canon, vol. 2), Tongnamu, 2021, p.135.
75)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-66.
76)Zhuzi Yulei (Classified Conversations of Master Zhu), Vol. 3, Zhonghua Shuju, p.33. "Matters of ghosts and spirits are naturally secondary. Those things without form or shadow are difficult to understand. There is no need to think about them; just do the work of daily-use essentials."
77)Choe Jin-deok, "Jujahak-ui Igieron-gwa Gwisinron" [The Li-Qi Theory and Theory of Ghosts and Spirits in Zhu Xi's Philosophy], Yangmyeonghak (Journal of Yangming Studies) 23, Korean Yangming Society, 2009, pp.381-382.
78)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 2-16.
79)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 1-2.
80)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 3-6.
81)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
82)Choe Su-un took pride in his 7th-generation ancestor Jin-rip (震立), who made great contributions during the Imjin War (Japanese invasions) and Byeongja War (Manchu invasion) and died in battle, posthumously receiving the title of Byeongjo Panseo (Minister of Military Affairs) and the honorary title of Jeongmu-gong. In the 'Ansimga' (Song of Comfort), Choe expressed his adversarial view of Japan through phrases such as 'You dog-like Japanese enemy!' and 'That too is a foe.' (Pak Gwang-su, Hanguk Sinjongyo-ui Sasang-gwa Jonggyo Munhwa [The Thought and Religious Culture of Korean New Religions], Seoul: Jimmundang, 2012, pp.199-201).
83)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 74.
84)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 57.
85)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 2-4.
86)Gang Don-gu, Hanguk Geundae Jonggyo-wa Minjokjuui (Korean Modern Religion and Nationalism), Seoul: Jimmundang, 1992.; Pak Jae-hyeon, "Hanguk Geundae Sigi Daesoon Sasang-ui Teukjil - Chominjogjuui-wa Geundae mit Talgeundae Gachi-reul Jungsim-euro" [Characteristics of Daesoon Thought in the Modern Korean Period: Focusing on Trans-nationalism and Modern and Postmodern Values], Daesoon Sasang Nonchong [Journal of Daesoon Studies] 24, 2014.
87)Hwang Jong-won, "20 Segi Choyeop Cheondogyo-ui Innaecheon Gyoui mit Simseongron-e Daehan Bipanjeok Yeongu" [A Critical Study on the Innaecheon Doctrine and Theory of Mind-Nature in Early 20th Century Cheondogyo], Daedong Cheolhak (Korean Philosophy Studies) 44, 2008, pp.92-93.
88)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 3-47. Sa ji dang wang jae eo cheonji, pil bu jae in, yeon mu in mu cheonji, go cheonji saeng in yong in, i insaeng bul cham eo cheonji, yong in ji si ha ga wal insaeng ho. The fundamental cause of all things is in Heaven and Earth, not necessarily in people. However, since Heaven and Earth are useless without people, Heaven and Earth bring forth people and use them. If so, when Heaven and Earth wish to use people, and people do not follow the will of Heaven and Earth, how could this be called living as a human? (Daesoon Jinrihoe Gyomubu [Religious Affairs Department], "Cheonji Saeng-in Yong-in" [Heaven and Earth Give Birth to People and Use People], Daesoon Hoebo [Daesoon Newsletter] 13, 1989)
89)Yi Gyeong-won, "Daesoon Jinri-ui Geundaeseong-gwa Byeonhyeok Sasang" [The Modernity and Transformative Thought of Daesoon Truth], Donghak Hakbo (Journal of Donghak Studies) 9(2): 43. 2005.
90)Yi Gyeong-won, Daesoon Jonghak Wonron (Fundamental Theory of Daesoon Religious Studies), Seoul: Munsacheol, 2013.
91)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-66.
92)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-30.
93)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), "Chwiji" (Purpose/Mission Statement).
94)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-19.
95)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
96)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-3.
97)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 3-47. Sa ji dang wang jae eo cheonji, pil bu jae in. The fundamental cause of all things is in Heaven and Earth, not necessarily in people. (Daesoon Jinrihoe Gyomubu [Religious Affairs Department], "Cheonji Saeng-in Yong-in" [Heaven and Earth Give Birth to People and Use People], Daesoon Hoebo [Daesoon Newsletter] 13, 1989)
98)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 3-47. Mansa bun i jeong, busaeng gong ja mang. All affairs have their proper allotment already determined, yet people of the world vainly busy themselves. (Daesoon Jinrihoe Gyomubu [Religious Affairs Department], "Mansa Bun I Jeong" [All Affairs Have Their Allotment Determined], Daesoon Hoebo [Daesoon Newsletter] 148, 2013)
99)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), p.7.
100)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 2-42.
101)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
102)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
103)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-66.
104)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-19.
105)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), p.20.
106)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-11.
107)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
108)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
109)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 1-10.
110)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 1-54.
111)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 3-35.
112)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 1-42.
113)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43.
114)Dang Hyeon-seon, Jilbe-reu Dyurang-ui Sangsanggye Yeongu (A Study on Gilbert Durand's Imaginary), Master's thesis, Hongik University Graduate School, 2009, pp.28-30.
115)Pak Jeong-jin, Hanguk Munhwa Simjeong Munhwa (Introduction to Art Anthropology: Korean Culture as Heart-Mind Culture), Mirae Munhwasa, 1990, pp.130-146.
116)The theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases has both positive and negative aspects; Western scholars tend to evaluate Yin-Yang and the Five Phases as objectively as possible, rating it at least as a primitive form of science. Representative figures include Marcel Granet, Angus Graham, Benjamin Schwartz, and Joseph Needham. (Kim Gi, "Eumyang Ohaengseol-ui Jujahakjeok Jeokyang-e Gwanhan Yeongu" [A Study on the Application of the Yin-Yang and Five Phases Theory in Zhu Xi's Philosophy], Ph.D. dissertation, Sungkyunkwan University, 2012, p.4) On the other hand, Eastern scholars tend to regard Yin-Yang and the Five Phases as more superstitious. (Bang In, "Godae Jungguk-ui Ujuron-ui Han Hyeongtaero-seoui Eumyang Ohaengseol" [The Theory of Yin-Yang and Five Phases as a Form of Ancient Chinese Cosmology], Jonggyo Yeongu (Religious Studies) 4, 1988, p.71)
117)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
118)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 3-14.
119)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 2-1.
120)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 3-53.
121)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43.
122)Yi Eo-ryeong, Dijirogu: Hangukin-i Ikkeun-eun Cheomdanjungbo Sahoe, Geu Mirae-reul Ilgneun Keyword (Digilog: Keywords for Reading the Future of the Advanced Information Society Led by Koreans), Seoul: Saengak-ui Namu, 2006.
123)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 46.
124)Kim Ji-ha, Huin Geuneul-ui Mihaeg-eul Chajaseo (Aesthetics Lectures: In Search of the Aesthetics of White Shadow), Seoul: Silcheon Munhaksa, 2005.; Kim Ik-du, "Dong-asia Sasang Sogeui Hwahae-wa Sangsaeng: Hanguk-ui Geunhyeondae Jeonbuk-ui Sasang Undong-gwa Geu Jeongae Yangsang" [Reconciliation and Mutual Flourishing in East Asian Thought: Ideological Movements in Modern and Contemporary Jeonbuk, Korea, and Their Development], Proceedings of the 93rd East Asian Ancient Studies Conference, 2023.
125)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-66.
126)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), "Hunhoe" (Teachings/Precepts).
127)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yeolam (Daesoon Jinrihoe Overview), "Sinjo" (Creed/Articles of Faith).
128)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-6.
129)Yongdam Yusa (Songs of Yongdam), "Dodeok-ga" (Song of Virtue and Morality).
130)Donggyeong Daejeon (The Eastern Canon), "Jwajam" (Admonition While Seated). O do bak i yak, bul yong da eon ui, byeol mu ta do ri, seong gyeong sin sam ja. Our Way is broad yet simple; there is no need for many words, and there is no other principle — it is the three characters of Seong (Sincerity), Gyeong (Reverence), and Sin (Faith).
131)A. N. Whitehead, D. R. Griffin and D. W. Sherburne, Process and Reality, New York: Free Press, 1929, pp.10-11. Cited in Roger Ames and David Hall, trans. Jang Won-seok, Ilsangsa-e Chochom Matchugi: Jungyong-ui Beonyeok-gwa Cheolhakjeok Haeseok (Focusing on the Familiar: A Translation and Philosophical Interpretation of the Zhongyong), Seongnam: Academy of Korean Studies Press, 2019, pp.50-51.
132)Nam Hyo-on, trans. Pak Dae-hyeon, Chugangjeop (Collected Works of Chuggang), Seoul: Society for the Promotion of Korean Culture, 2007, Vol. 5, 35b.
133)Research Society for the History of Korean Thought, Joseon Yuhak-ui Gaenyeomdeul (Concepts in Joseon Confucianism), Yemunseowon, 2002.
134)Kim Yun-gyeong, Hanguk Dogyosa (History of Korean Taoism), Seoul: Munsacheol, 2020.
135)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43.
136)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43.
137)Gu Hoe-min, trans. Gwak Sin-hwan, Sogangjeo-ui Seoncheon Yeokhak (Shao Yong's Prior Heaven Yi-ology), Seoul: Simsan, 2007.
138)The concept of Wonhyeong Ijeong (origination, flourishing, benefit, and firmness) is actually used to refer to the four common properties of cyclical periods such as spring-summer-autumn-winter, morning-noon-evening-night, and early years-prime years-middle years-old age. It is said that, like infinite nested cycles, each individual thing has its Wonhyeong Ijeong and all things and affairs have their Wonhyeong Ijeong. (Yun Yong-nam, "Juja Iseo-l-ui Jaeguseong" [Reconstructing Zhu Xi's Theory of Li/Principle], Dongyang Cheolhak Yeongu (East Asian Philosophy Studies) 8, 1988, pp.52-54)
139)Choe Jin-deok, "Jujahak-ui Igieron-gwa Gwisinron" [The Li-Qi Theory and Theory of Ghosts and Spirits in Zhu Xi's Philosophy], Yangmyeonghak (Journal of Yangming Studies) 23, Korean Yangming Society, 2009, pp.381-383.
140)Do gi jang jon sa bul ip, se gan jung in bu dong gwi. In eternally preserving the energy of the Way, evil things cannot enter, and one will not go round and round like the common people of the world.
141)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 2-3.
142)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 1-34.
143)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 5-38. Dong yu daeseong-in wal Donghak, seo yu daeseong-in wal Seohak. In the East there is a great sage who calls it Donghak (Eastern Learning), and in the West there is a great sage who calls it Seohak (Western Learning). (Daesoon Jinrihoe Gyomubu [Religious Affairs Department], "Dol Byeongpung" [Stone Screen], Daesoon Hoebo [Daesoon Newsletter] 119, 2011)
144)Research Society for the History of Korean Thought, Joseon Yuhak-ui Gaenyeomdeul (Concepts in Joseon Confucianism), Yemunseowon, 2002.
145)Kim Seon-hui, "Yuhakja-ga Bara Bon Yusinron-jeok Segye" [A Theistic World as Seen by a Confucian Scholar], Proceedings of the Korean Academy of Religion, Korean Academy of Religion, 2014; Jeon Seong-geon, "Dasan Yeongjisel-ui Sinhakjeok Ganeungseong" [The Theological Possibilities of Dasan's Theory of Spiritual Knowledge], Proceedings of the Korean Academy of Religion, Korean Academy of Religion, 2014)
146)Ko Nam-sik, "Geun Hyeondaegi Gang Jeung-san Jeonseung-e Natanan Ilbon Gwanlyeon Girok-ui Yangsang-gwa Uimi: Daesoon Jeongyeong (1929-1965)-eul Jungsim-euro" [Aspects and Significance of Japan-Related Records in the Modern and Contemporary Transmission of Gang Jeung-san: Focusing on the Daesoon Jeongyeong (1929-1965)], Ilbon Geundae Hak Yeongu (Studies in Modern Japanese Studies), 2023.
147)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 2-4.
148)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 1.
149)Some view 'Sindo' (Divine Way) as the ultimate reality and as the basis of Haewon Sangsaeng (Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Flourishing). (Kim Ui-seong, Daesoon Sasang-ui Cheolhakjeok Tamgu [Philosophical Inquiry into Daesoon Thought], Ph.D. dissertation, Sungkyunkwan University, 2017)
150)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 73.
151)Daesoon Jichim (Daesoon Guidelines), Chapter 1, Section 1.
152)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-34.
153)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43. Su saeng eo hwa, hwa saeng eo su, geum saeng eo mok, mok saeng eo geum, gi yong ga yong yeonhu bang ga wi sininja. Eum sal yang saeng, yang sal eum saeng, saeng sal ji do jae eo eumyang, in ga yong eumyang yeonhu bang ga wi insaengya. In wi yang, sin wi eum, eumyang sanghap yeonhu yu byeonhwa ji doya. Bulcheok byeonhwa ji sul, do jae eo sinmyeong, gamtong sinmyeong yeonhu sa gi sa cheuk wi ji daein daeya. Water is born from Fire and Fire is born from Water; Metal is born from Wood and Wood is born from Metal — only after one understands their uses can one be called a Divine Person. If Yin is extinguished, Yang lives; if Yang is extinguished, Yin lives — the Way of life and death lies in Yin and Yang. Only after a person can use Yin and Yang can one be called a human being. Humans are Yang and spirits are Yin; only after Yin and Yang harmonize together is there the Way of transformation. Otherwise, all techniques of transformation lie with Sinmyeong (Divine Spirits); only after communicating with Sinmyeong and accomplishing the task can this be called Daein Daeui (Great Benevolence and Great Righteousness). (Yang Mu-mok, "Haewon Jinri-roseoui Eumyang Hapdeok-gwa Minjujuui" [Yin-Yang Harmonic Virtue as Salvation Truth, and Democracy], Daesoon Sasang Nonchong [Journal of Daesoon Studies] 2, 1997, pp.175-176)
154)The concept of Yin and Yang emphasized and pursued in Daesoon thought is said to advocate Jeongeum Jeongyang (Correct Yin and Correct Yang) and Hapdeok (Harmonic Virtue) through harmony, demonstrating that an ideal world can be built through this. (Yi Ho-yeol, Daesoon Sasang-ui Eumyang-non-e Gwanhan Yeongu [A Study on the Yin-Yang Theory in Daesoon Thought], Master's thesis, Daejin University, 2015)
155)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-3.
156)Fan Chi asked about wisdom. Confucius said: 'To devote oneself to what is right for the people, and to respect spirits while keeping them at a distance — this may be called wisdom.' (Analects, "Yongya" [Yong the Brilliant])
157)Yu Ji-yeon, "Hwang Hyeon (1855-1910)-ui Donghak-e Daehan Insik-gwa Bipan: Ohagimun-eul Jungsim-euro" [Hwang Hyeon's (1855-1910) Perception and Critique of Donghak: Focusing on the Ohagimun], Yi-won Haksul Nonjeop (Ywon Academic Papers) 2, 2004, pp.1-54.
158)Kim Gi-seung, "Suun Choe Je-u Jeojakui Yeondaegijeok Geomto" [A Chronological Review of Suun Choe Je-u's Works], Donghak Hakbo (Journal of Donghak Studies) 3, 2002, pp.159-162.
159)All the great fortune of rivers and mountains returns to this Way; its source is deepest and its principle is most profound. One must firmly establish the master of one's mind to know the taste of the Way, and one thought must be here for all things to go as intended. Sweep away the cloudy energy and nurture the clear energy like raising a young child. It is not merely that the mind be utmost, but that the mind be solely rectified. Subtle brilliance naturally emerges with divine freshness, and all things to come will return to one principle. Do not dispute others' small faults in your own mind, but bestow your own small wisdom upon others. Do not devote great sincerity to petty things in this Way. When confronting great matters and exhausting all deliberation, help will naturally come. The great fortune of winds and clouds follows one's capacity. The mysterious mechanism does not appear outwardly — do not be hasty in mind. On another day when merit is accomplished, one will form a good karmic bond with the immortals. The mind is originally empty; even when responding to things, it leaves no trace. Only by cultivating the mind does one know virtue; only by illuminating virtue is it the Way. It lies in virtue, not in people; in faith, not in study; in what is near, not in what is far; in sincerity, not in seeking — it seems not so yet is so, and seems far yet is not far. Cheondogyo Gyeongjeon (The Sacred Scriptures of Cheondogyo).
160)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 3-41.
161)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gwonji" (Authority and Foreknowledge) 1-11.
162)Kim Sang-jun, "On Nara-ga Yangban Doegi: Joseon Hugi Yugyojeok Pyeongdeunghwa Meok-eonikeum" [The Whole Nation Becoming Yangban: The Mechanism of Confucian Egalitarianism in Late Joseon], Sahoe-wa Yeoksa [Society and History] 63(0), 2003, pp.5-29.
163)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-9.
164)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gwonji" (Authority and Foreknowledge) 1-11.
165)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 3-30; Ko Nam-sik, "Joseon Malgi Gang Jeung-san-ui Yeoksa Insik-gwa Joseon-gwan" [Gang Jeung-san's Historical Consciousness and View of Joseon in the Late Joseon Period], Dong-asia Godae Hak (East Asian Ancient Studies) 59, 2020, pp.239-270, 259.
166)Murayama Jijun, "Mugeukdo Chwijijeo" [The Purpose Statement of Mugeukdo], in Joseon-ui Yusa Jonggyo (Quasi-Religions of Joseon), Daegu: Keimyung University Press, 1991.
167)Yi Dong-hui, Raipeunicheueu-ga Mannan Jungguk (China that Leibniz Encountered), Ihaksa, 2003, pp.92-93.
168)An Jong-su, "Seupinoja-wa Yuhak" [Spinoza and Confucianism], Cheolhak Nonchong (Journal of Philosophical Studies) 44(2), 2006, pp.172-173.
169)Yi Yeong-jae, "Hyeondae Gongam Iron-eul Tonghan Gong-maeng Cheolhak-ui Jaejomyeong" [Re-illuminating Confucian-Mencian Philosophy through Modern Empathy Theory], Jeongshin Munhwa Yeongu (Studies in Mental Culture) 35(2), 2012, p.427.
170)Lee Dong-hee, "Geundae Dogil Cheolhakja-ui Daeripjeok Bulgyo Ihae-wa Suyong" [Modern German Philosophers' Conflicting Understandings and Receptions of Buddhism], Hegel Yeongu [Hegel Studies] 29, 2011.
171)Ju Gyeom-ji, trans. Jeon Hong-seok, Jungguk-i Mandeun Yureop-ui Geundae: Geundae Yureop-ui Jungguk Munhwa Yeolpung (China's Creation of Europe's Modernity: The Craze for Chinese Culture in Modern Europe), Cheongye, 2010, p.378.
172)Heo Jeong-hwa, "Hwaeom Sasang-gwa Hyeondae Mullihagg-ui Bigyo Yeongu" [A Comparative Study of Huayan Buddhist Thought and Modern Physics], Master's thesis, Dongguk University, 2003.
173)In the Neijing (Classic of Internal Medicine), traces of thought from schools such as Daoism, Mohism, the School of Names, and the School of Yin-Yang can be seen — this is an undeniable fact. Xu Yiming, Xingli yu Qihuang (Neo-Confucianism and the Yellow Emperor's Classic), China Social Sciences Press, 1997, p.23.
174)So Byeong-seon, Jujahak-gwa Thomism-ui Cheolhakjeok Bigyo (A Philosophical Comparison of Zhu Xi's Philosophy and Thomism), Ph.D. dissertation, Academy of Korean Studies, 2005; Pak Jeong-jin, Cheolhak-ui Seonmul Seonmul-ui Cheolhak (The Gift of Philosophy, the Philosophy of the Gift), Seoul: Sonamu, 2012; Yi Jeong-u, Kim Si-cheon, Kim Gyo-bin et al., Gihak-ui Moheom 1: Dongseo-yang Cheolhakja, Yubaedoen Gi-ui Buhwal-eul Malhada (The Adventure of Gi-studies 1: Eastern and Western Philosophers Speak on the Revival of Exiled Qi), Seoul: Deulnyeok, 2004.
175)Matsumoto Koro, "Theory of Interfaith Dialogue in Islam (Thought on Interfaith Dialogue: Historical Aspects and Their Dialogue, Panel, Special Feature: Proceedings of the 68th Academic Conference)", Shukyo Kenkyu (Journal of Religious Studies) 83-4, Japanese Association for Religious Studies, 2010, pp.180-81, 1272-73.
176)Mircea Eliade, trans. Choe Jong-seong and Kim Jae-hyeon, Segye Jonggyo Sasangsa 2: Gotama Budda-eseobuteo Gidokgyo-ui Seungniga-ji (A History of Religious Ideas, Vol. 2: From Gautama Buddha to the Triumph of Christianity), Ihaksa, 2005, p.299, pp.490-491.
177)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 88. Do tong cheonji boeun.
178)Daesoon Jinrihoe Yoram (Daesoon Jinrihoe Yearbook), p.20.
179)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyobeob" (Teachings) 2-36.
180)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 2-41. Ji geuk han bobae neun gon na ui simryeong i ra. Simryeong eul tong ha myeon gwisin gwa deo bul eo ga hi su jak hal su it go man mul gwa deo bul eo ga hi jilseo reul ham kke hal su it neu ni ra. (Daesoon Jinrihoe Gyomubu (Religious Affairs Department), "Poyumun" (Proclamation), Daesoon Hoebo 184, 2016)
181)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-9.
182)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 2-9.
183)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 5-24.
184)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 2-19.
185)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 30.
186)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 30.
187)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 30.
188)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gongsa" (Reordering Works) 1-30; Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 1-30; Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Yeosi" (Prophetic Elucidations) 1-21.
189)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 5-38.
190)Daesoon Jichim (Daesoon Directives), p.18.
191)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 3-44.
192)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Gyoun" (Progress of the Order) 2-33; Ko Nam-sik, "Ijeong Simbeop gwa Susim-ui Gunggukjeok Seonghyang" (The Ultimate Tendency of Rectifying the Mind-Method and Cultivating the Mind), Daesoon Sasang Nonchong (Journal of Daesoon Studies) 13, 2001.
193)Ko Nam-sik, "Seoncheon Cheongwan gwa Sangje-ui Chowolseong: Sangje-ui Sindo, Samgye Daegwon-gwa Gwanryeonhayeo" (The Former-World View of Heaven and the Transcendence of Sangje: In Relation to Sangje's Divine Way and Supreme Authority over the Three Realms), Daesoon Sasang Nonchong (Journal of Daesoon Studies) 8, 1999, pp.562-563.
194)Hwang Tae-yeon, "Gongja-ui Gonggamjeok Muwi Hyeonse-juui wa Seogu Gwanyong Sasang-ui Dongasia-jeok Giwon (Part 1)" (Confucius's Empathetic Non-Action and Worldliness, and the East Asian Origins of Western Tolerance Thought, Part 1), Hangukak (Korean Studies) 36(2), 2013, pp.73-74.
195)In Daesoon thought, the mural painting of Oseon-wigi (Five Immortals Playing Baduk), which symbolizes haewon (resolution of grievances), is expressed as 'understanding' (ihae). Haewon forms the natural-scientific basis of sangsaeng (mutual flourishing). (Pak Yong-cheol, "Haewon Sangsaeng-ui Silhyeon-e Daehan Gochal" (A Study on the Realization of Haewon Sangsaeng), Daesoon Sasang Nonchong (Journal of Daesoon Studies) 4, 1998, pp.213-241)
196)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 5-38; Jo Yeong-suk, "Dongui Bogam Uju Boncheronone Gwanhan Yeongu" (A Study on the Cosmological Ontology of Dongui Bogam [Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine]), Dogyomunhwa Yeongu (Journal of Taoist Culture Studies) 33, 2010, p.141; Kim Mi-rim, "Dongui Bogam-ui Yangsaenggwan Yeongu" (A Study on the View of Nurturing Life in Dongui Bogam), Doctoral Dissertation, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, 2009, pp.163-165.
197)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Jesaeng" (Saving Lives) 43.
198)Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture), "Haengrok" (Acts) 5-38.
199)Choi, Won-hyuk, "Comparative Study on Indigenous Modernity of Donghak Thought and Daesoon Thought," Studies on Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSC) 6(1), 2024.